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‘NRO a closed transaction in parliament’

* Babar Awan says draft bill stands withdrawn after PM’s statement on floor of House

By Irfan Ghauri

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Wednesday confirmed that the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) was a “closed transaction” as far as its status in parliament was concerned: the draft bill stands withdrawn.

Ahsan Iqbal of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had sought a clarification from the government on a point of order in the National Assembly, asking the government to clarify ambiguities related to the status of the NRO, as it had already been tabled in parliament and a standing committee had approved it for legislation.

Ahsan said that under the rules, once an ordinance was tabled in any of the two houses of parliament, it became the property of the House until it was withdrawn formally through a motion.

Although Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on the floor of the National Assembly on Tuesday that the government would not bring the NRO to parliament for legislation, there was ambiguity about its legal status.

Some political analysts believed that a draft legislation remained pending on the agenda of the House once it became a part parliament’s record, unless it was withdrawn by adopting the prescribed procedure.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan, quoting rule 139 of Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business, clarified that any member of the cabinet could withdraw any proposed legislation with the consent of the speaker of the National Assembly or the Senate chairman.

PM’s statement: He said since the prime minister was the head of the cabinet, his statement in the National Assembly was more than enough to explain the legal status of the bill. Awan claimed that after the statement of the prime minister, the bill automatically stood withdrawn, and there was no need to move any motion for this purpose.

The government withdrew the controversial ordinance from parliament in line with the “prevailing atmosphere and allies’ advice”.

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