Pakistani PM endorses landmark constitutional amendments draft (3)

The National Assembly session was adjourned till Friday when the bill will be presented before the Parliament for formal approval and deliberations are likely to start on it from Monday, official sources said.

"Hopefully the bill will be passed within a week," said Siddque al-Farooq, a leader of the major opposition Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz.

"March 31 is a historic day," she said, referring to Wednesday when a consensus was reached on the much-debated amendments to the constitution of Pakistan.

The draft addresses a wide range of issues including the repealing of 17th Amendment, which was imposed by former President Pervez Musharraf in 2003 that granted more powers to the holder of the office of the president.

With the new amendments these powers will be transferred back to the prime minister, including the president's power to dissolve the assemblies.

The other salient features of the bill include the removing of the bar on the third term of premiership, the renaming the restless North West Frontier Province as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the appointment of a chief election commissioner with the consultation of the leader of the opposition. The draft also seeks provincial autonomy, appointment of members of the superior judiciary and revival of Islamabad high court.

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