ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah has said that the 18th Constitutional Amendment was passed with consensus, but it can still be improved through renewed consensus, adding that the Constitution provides room for improvement throughout.
Speaking to the media, Rana Sanaullah said a thorough investigation should be conducted into the fire incident at Gul Plaza to determine who approved the additional floors and when they were constructed, stressing that complete accountability is necessary. He also claimed that PTI’s planned protest on February 8 would fail.
Commenting on PTI, he said Imran Khan has repeatedly used meetings to speak against the state and institutions. He noted that the Islamabad High Court has now defined a proper mechanism for meetings.
Rana Sanaullah added that Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Raja Nasir Abbas are people who believe in democracy, but he does not think negotiations will begin immediately.
He further said that district governments must be empowered, as this is a constitutional requirement, and without empowered local governments, public issues cannot be resolved.
Responding to Khawaja Asif’s statement, Rana Sanaullah said that Khawaja Asif expressed his personal opinion in the National Assembly and that it is not appropriate to stop anyone from speaking in parliament. He said personal opinions should remain personal, every member has the right to express views, and Khawaja Asif never claimed to be presenting party policy.
Reiterating his stance, the prime minister’s adviser said that while the 18th Amendment was adopted with consensus, there is room for improvement through dialogue, and discussion on the amendment should take place.
