PML revolt imperils Shariah bill

A group of 30 party MPs also threatened to resign on the issue, media reports said.

“The government is not in a haste to pass it (the Shariah bill),” Sharif was quoted as saying by media reports after the meeting late last night.

Reports also said that the government had decided to form an internal committee headed by religious affairs minister Raja Zafrul Haque to listen and register the apprehensions of theruling party members over the bill and create a consensus over it.

Opposition to the 15th constitutional amendment bill (popularly known as the Shariah bill) within the PML surfaced as the ruling party members were given indication that voting on the bill would be held on Friday morning and a number of senior members wanted to express their opinion on the bill in the parliamentary meeting first.

But the meeting turned turbulent when some pro-bill members pointed out that a senior party member, Mian Khurshid Kasuri, was lobbying against the bill.

This prompted a severe indictment of Kasuri by Sharif who suggested that the member resign in view of his opposition to the bill. “It surprises me that you are openly lobbying against the Shariah bill. If you have established differences with us, you better oppose us by resigning from the seat,” Sharif said.

Kasuri, aware that his behaviour could invite action under a new anti-defection law that prohibits party members from differing with the leadership,immediately wrote out his resignation letter and handed it to the prime minister.

Media reports quoting PML members said Kasuri’s move served as a cue for nearly 30 other members who also threatened to resign.

However, senior party members managed to salvage the situation by urging Sharif to return Kasuri’s resignation letter and pacifying the remaining members.

“There was a mini-revolt like situation, as several members stood up against Sharif’s mood,” a PML member was quoted by The News as saying.

“There is a clear division in the party whether anyone accepts it or not,” another member said, adding, “this bill has divided us rather than creating unity.”

Media reports also said that a large number of PML parliamentary party members voiced opposition to the proposed legislation which Sharif had announced during his nationally televised address from the floor of the parliament on August 28 claiming that the bill, which makes the Quran and Sunnah (the sayings of Prophet Muhammad) thesupreme law of Pakistan.

A clear indication of the opposition to the bill within the PML ranks was apparent during the morning session of the National Assembly during discussions on the bill when veteran parliamentarian from Sindh, Hamid Jatoi, said, “How can I be expected to sign this as it seeks to take away powers from the provinces and make senate powerless?”

“Please do not act in haste,” he pleaded.

“You have already lost half the country,” Jatoi said in an apparent reference to the creation of Bangladesh. “This bill will be the last nail in the coffin,” he warned.