Fawad proposes joint parliamentary committee for consensus on Army Act, economic policies

Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry on Sunday proposed the establishment of a joint parliamentary committee so consensus can be formed on the issues of amendment in the Army Act and on economic policies.

"As a student of politics since 93, my personal opinion is that we should have a joint parliamentary committee which should immediately decide on the two matters. "There is no doubt that the opposition's role should be recognised. Without them, a wider consensus regarding institutions cannot be achieved," said the federal minister.

Chaudhry, referring to the Supreme Court verdict on the extended appointment of army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, said that "a good atmosphere" had now been created in the country. "The prime minister has always spoken of the strengthening of institutions and of course this has meant asking that institutions respect the authority and balance of one another."

The minister proposed that the above mentioned personalities - Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief Justice of Pakistan Asif Saeed Khosa - oversee the committee. "And with the help of media, a consensus on the two matters should immediately be formed."

"A consensus on these two matters is of extreme importance for Pakistan. And any problem that besets Pakistan can not be solved solely by a single institution," Chaudhry added.

The minister said that he knows the prime minister "closely" and does not aim to "make political statements", but that prime minister does have the people's best interests at heart. "I know for a fact that his heart beats with the people. He wishes to make a new Pakistan. He has no personal agenda, he doesn't want to amass wealth and is not interested in power. He actually wishes to bring change.

"But for that to take place, unless we bring balance in our institutions, unless we strike a fresh deal, we will remain entangled in problems." Speaking of the future of Pakistan, the minister said that political differences must be cast aside, "if we wish to leave a stable Pakistan for our future generations".

In the same vein, he spoke of the recently held countrywide 'Student

Solidarity March' which had demanded the restoration of student unions. Expressing his support for the movement, the minister said that the very foundation of Pakistan rests on student unions. "Pakistan was formed due to student union activities. When the Muslim Student Federation was established in Aligarh University, and later on in Islamia College, the entire movement for Pakistan run by students."

He said that whereas Gen Ziaul Haq in his tenure had made many mistakes, one of them was the ban on student unions.

"Student unions are the backbone of any democracy. But, there must be some safeguards in place. Student unions must not be allowed to be used by mainstream political parties for gang-like violent activities.