PPO amended, paves way for Nawaz to become party chief again

The Pakistan Government has amended the Political Parties Order (PPO) that paves way for former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to once again take the leadership of his party -- Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.

The related Bill -- Election Bill 2017 -- was passed by Senate yesterday. Due to the previous language of the PPO, Sharif had to step down as party chief after his disqualification from holding public office under the Supreme Court's Panama Papers case verdict.

A report in The Express Tribune today said the Bill also consolidates eight sets of laws that currently govern the electoral process in Pakistan.

Among the new laws introduced was an amendment to Section 5 of the PPO. The amendment allows every citizen who is not a Government servant to form a political party or hold any office of a political party. Introduced during Musharraf's era, PPO Section 5 (1) says that every citizen, not being in the service of Pakistan, has the right to form or be a member of a political party or be otherwise associated with a political party or take part in political activities or be elected as an office-bearer of a political party.

But the clause currently has a proviso which reads "Provided that a person shall not be appointed or serve as an office-bearer of a political party if he is not qualified to be, or is disqualified from being, elected or chosen as a member of Parliament under Article 63 of the Constitution?or under any other law for the time being in force".