By DPA,
Islamabad : Pakistan’s parliament Thursday stripped President Asif Ali Zardari of sweeping powers to run the government by proxy and dismiss any cabinet failing to follow his line.
The 18th constitutional amendment bill unanimously adopted by the upper house, days after its approval by the lower house, will tilt the balance of power in the favour of Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, who welcomed the move.
“Today is a historic moment as we are empowering the institutions of the country and not any individual,” Gilani said in his brief address to lawmakers.
Former military rule Pervez Musharraf, who deposed the elected government in a bloodless coup in October 1999, made several changes to the constitution in 2002 and 2003, to grant himself special powers.
Zardari, who succeeded Musharraf in 2008, enjoyed the same level of authority despite protests by the opposition parties that demanded that he honour his words and shed the last vestiges of the military ruler by restoring real parliamentary democracy.
Several times before formally becoming president, Zardari had declared he would willingly surrender additional powers, and reacted swiftly Thursday to “congratulate the political parties” for the legislation.
Analysts believe that legally Zardari has been weakened, but that being head of ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), he will continue to exercise considerable influence on political affairs.