ISLAMABAD, Nov 21 (NNI): Former finance minister and Senator Ishaq Dar
has said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has not taken any
decision to introduce changes in the 18th Amendment.
He expressed these views during a session of Senate which was presided
over by its Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani on Tuesday.
He assured the upper house that the PML-N has not mandated its manifesto
committee to bring changes in the 18th Amendment. He said that the
debate on the 18th Amendment is not new, it’s very old.
Dar was of the view that “the 18th Amendment is not an issue but the
real issue is: whether the provinces are acting upon it. Are the
provinces doing everything required under the NFC Award? The real
challenges being faced by Pakistan are health, education, and public
welfare. Even in federal government, we allocate budget for health.”
He said that in Balochistan, 3,500 schools have been closed due to
non-availability of teachers. We have to make sure that provinces are
taking steps with regard to human resource development, he emphasized.
Senator Dar said that he and PPP leader Raza Rabbani were very active on
the 18th Amendment and it was decided to rectify the flaws in the
constitution.
It bears mentioning here that while addressing a public rally in
Nowshera district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto
Zardari claimed yesterday that the PML-N leaders were saying that things
had been settled, and their party would get a two-thirds majority and
they would amend the 18th Amendment.
However, Dar denied making any amendments.
Earlier, PML-N leaders Marriyum Aurangzeb and Irfan Siddiqui denied
bringing any changes into the 18th Amendment.
Senator and chairman of PML-N manifesto committee Irfan Siddiqui said
that there is no suggestion under consideration to bring changes in the
18th Amendments. He said that PML-N manifesto would be the true
representative of the public aspirations. NNI
