Pakistan's President signs bill curbing his power

Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari has signed into law sweeping constitutional reforms stripping him of key powers. The move aims to bolster parliamentary democracy weakened by military rule.

Reuters

Having passed through the National Assembly, the reforms, known as the 18th Amendment, were ratified by the Senate.

The amendment aims to devolve power away from the president and federal government. It removes the head of state's power to sack the prime minister, appoint heads of the armed forces and dissolve parliament.

Zardari signed the bill in a ceremony also attended by opposition leader Nawaz Sharif at the presidential offices.

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Interview: Correspondent Mariana Barba

Sarah Elzas

Correspondent Mariana Barba said the background to this amendment is the constantly changing 1973 constitution.

“Over the years when military dictators took over and declared martial law, they also started to tamper with the 1973 constitution, and they made amendment after amendment," Barba said.

“So this has been going on for so many years, until now the Pakistani People’s Party decided that they would have to amendment it through the 18th amendment and bring it back to the 1973 shape that it was.”

The bill also abolishes a clause barring the election of a prime minister for more than two terms. This would allow the popular Sharif, who was toppled by Musharraf in 1999, to become prime minister again.

Barba said this clause was something that assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto had been fighting.

“She had done her two terms, and she wanted to come back. But now Benazir is no longer there, but it's a good chance for Sharif if he playes his cards right," she said.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani will assume executive power in a move that could help ease political instability and tensions in the nuclear-armed country.