Zardari curbs his powers as Pak prez, signs bill

President Asif Ali Zardari signed into law a landmark constitutional amendment bill on Monday that will strip him of his sweeping powers, saying it would help prevent the emergence of dictatorships in Pakistan.

Zardari signed the historic 18th Constitutional Amendment Bill, which was passed by both houses of parliament by a two-thirds majority last week, at a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Pakistan Muslim League-N chief Nawaz Sharif. The bill, which was passed by a two-thirds majority in both houses of parliament, will strip the president of his powers to appoint the three service chiefs, dissolve the national assembly and dismiss an elected prime minister.

"It is my hope that the doors of dictatorship have been closed forever... Let no one think of subverting the constitution," Zardari said in his address.

The bill will also remove numerous changes introduced in the constitution of 1973 by former military rulers Zia-ul-Haq and Pervez Musharraf to strengthen their grip on power.

Zardari said he was "delighted" that the 17th amendment, introduced by Musharraf to prolong his rule, had been repealed.

"Gone also are the days when state institutions upheld the subversion of the constitution. A lesson of today is that our parliament is capable of delivering. It is also a lesson of today that we can achieve so much through reconciliation and by setting aside our personal egos," Zardari said.

The 102 clauses of the 18th Constitutional Amendment Bill include provisions to charge anyone who suspends or keeps the constitution in abeyance with high treason. Other provisions rename the North West Frontier Province as Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa and give more autonomy to Pakistan's four provinces.

"It is indeed a great honour for me to have signed into law this bill that seeks to undo the undemocratic clauses introduced into the constitution by undemocratic forces," Zardari said.

Today was a historic day marking "an important milestone in the struggle of our people on the road to democracy", he added.

Zardari said now that the constitutional amendments had been completed, all political parties should join hands to find solutions to the problems of the common people, including a crippling energy shortage, unemployment, inflation and law and order.

Zardari made no mention of the fact that the Bill would strip him of his sweeping powers, though Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Babar Awan, who also addressed the ceremony, praised him for voluntarily surrendering his powers.

Gilani said the signing of the bill by Zardari reflected the "magnanimity of the president".

He said it was "unprecedented" that a president had willingly transferred his powers through such a smooth process.

He also lauded leaders of all political parties for rising above party interests to strengthen democracy for a better future of the country.

Pakistan would emerge stronger after the enactment of the bill as it removed distortions introduced to the constitution during the autocratic rule of the past few decades, he added.

Both Zardari and Gilani highlighted the importance of the Pakistan People's Party-led government's policy of reconciliation and consensus and its efforts to strengthen democracy.

Zardari acknowledged there were "anxious moments" when some thought the amendments would not be passed by parliament but the political parties "collectively resolved our differences and made history by restoring the constitution of 1973".

The government's policies had led to "political ownership of the war against militancy and the beginning of the retreat of militants and extremists", Zardari said.

The government had also achieved other successes like the political reforms in Gilgit-Baltistan (northern areas) and a development package for Balochistan province, he said.

Zardari sat beside Gilani on a raised platform during the ceremony, which was attended by parliamentarians, members of the constitutional reforms committee, federal ministers, chief ministers and governors of the four provinces.

Senator Raza Rabbani, who headed the parliamentary panel that drafted the constitutional reforms, said the amendments had restored a constitution "mutilated by successive dictators" and removed Zia-ul-Haq's name and the "vestiges of Musharraf the dictator" from the constitution.

PPP leaders shouted slogans hailing the Bhutto family and slain former premier Benazir Bhutto after Zardari signed the bill.