DHA Ordinance Rejected replied on Thursday, December 24, 2009 03:07 PM
Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan (center) said the DHA had so far forcibly acquired 178,000 kanals of land in the outskirts of Islamabad. - APP
PML-N traders wing opposes Value Added Tax PML-N traders wing opposes Value Added Tax ISLAMABAD:
Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Wednesday urged the government to withdraw the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) bill.
He told a news conference at the Punjab House that the bill had been approved by the National Assembly Committee on Defence despite ‘our reservations.’
The PML-N leader said the bill in its present form was controversial and was against the law and the constitution and gave extraordinary powers to the proposed executive board of the authority.
He said that according to the proposed bill, no federal provincial, civil and municipal authority would have power to keep a check on DHA.
He expressed reservations over ‘acquiring of land from owners against their wishes and without giving them market rates.’
The PML-N leader said the DHA had so far forcibly acquired 178,000 kanals of land in the outskirts of Islamabad.
He said the PML-N tried to convince the government and all concerned quarters that this bill should not be tabled in parliament and had recorded its dissent in the standing committee deliberations.
‘First, the committee should have evolved consensus on the draft then it should have been forwarded to the National Assembly for debate and approval,’ he said.
He said the PML-N would strongly oppose the bill if the draft was presented in the National Assembly.
‘If the government succeeded in getting the bill passed from the National Assembly and the Senate, then I will challenge it in the Supreme Court,’ he added.
Replying to a question, Chaudhry Nisar said PML-N would table a bill for effective legislation on land acquisition and another against land grabbing mafia.
He also expressed reservations over some proposed amendments in the Pakistan Army Act, which according to him would also be applicable on civilians.
To another question, he reiterated that the PML-N would not demand resignation of the president if the Supreme Court verdict on NRO was implemented in letter and spirit.—APP |
