Benazir Bhutto inscribed into law by NA vote

[Spring Onion]

Benazir Bhutto inscribed into law by NA vote


ISLAMABAD: In a historic move, the National Assembly inscribed Benazir Bhutto’s name into law by its vote on Monday, unanimously passing a pro-poor bill after the main opposition party gave up a blocking amendment amid “long live” slogans for the assassinated leader.

However, the Benazir Income Support Programme Bill, based on a presidential ordinance already in operation, will need approval by Senate to become a permanent law.

An amendment in the name of the opposition PML-N’s 87 members had sought to rename the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) provided in the bill as Qaumi (national) Income Support Programme but was greeted with “no, no” chants and slogans of “long live Shaheed Benazir Bhutto” from members of the ruling PPP, and was withdrawn after Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani called for giving a legislative recognition to the former prime minister’s sacrifice for democracy.

The programme under the ordinance too was named after the former PPP leader and twice-prime minister who was assassinated in a gun-and-bomb attack on Dec 27, 2007, outside Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh park after she had addressed an election campaign rally there.

But the National Assembly’s was a rare legislative vote to inscribe a political leader’s name into a law.

PML-N member Zahid Hamid, who moved the amendment, said his party had “the greatest respect” for Ms Bhutto and her sacrifice and that her legacy should be honoured by good governance rather than by naming roads, hospitals and airports after her.

But his argument was opposed by Dr Donya Aziz of the PML-Q who saw “nothing wrong” in giving such posthumous honour to Ms Bhutto.

The prime minister said BISP was Ms Bhutto’s own idea and it was working well for the past two and half years without any fingers raised about its impartial functioning to provide financial help and other social and safety net measures to economically distressed persons and families.

“In view of the prime minister’s remarks, we withdraw the amendment,” Hamid said, paving the way for a unanimous passage of the bill when it was put to voice vote by Speaker Fehmida Mirza.


DAWN.COM | Front Page | Benazir Bhutto inscribed into law by NA vote

 

[Nahraf]

I think it's not enough ! We should declare her as a Goddess and build temples in her honor. There should be holiday dedicated to her when all Pakistanis should bow in front of her idol and pray to her for favors.

 

[Tayyab1796]

BB was an NROed politician , i-e a corrupt one, present government is doing whatever they can to turn her into a Saint , whose shrine will be visited by populace and their prayers will be answered there ... trying to sell a twisted , rotten , expired and insect infested candy bar into a new packing ...

 

[sparklingway]

Yes, they have gone overboard with renaming everything after her but did you guys even read what the bill was? It was the BISP. The first ever Federal Income Support programme of any kind. At least you can fricking show your support for that. I hate no-good haters.

 

[Imran Khan]

when gov will change whole thing will be back

 

[Spring Onion]

Yes, they have gone overboard with renaming everything after her but did you guys even read what the bill was? It was the BISP. The first ever Federal Income Support programme of any kind. At least you can fricking show your support for that. I hate no-good haters.

when it was started i thought it was perhaps one of the social safety nets but NO its not.

Most of the disbursements under BISP are going to PPP Jiyals and their recommended people

 

[RescueRanger]

Rawal Road: BB Road, Islamabad Airport: BB International Airport, Jinnah Park "Wanted to rename it BB Park, but 10 Corps showed them who is boss".

If they had their way, Pakistan would be BBstan. Don't get me wrong, the lady was an iron willed beacon of light for many... But this present government is going overboard.

And i don't know if any of you have had the pleasure of visiting the Secretariat recently, the painting of Jinnah seated on a sofa has been replaced by BB... :Angry:

 

[mjnaushad]

If you remember they were also thinking of issuing coin with her picture on it....

And no one even in PPP really remember her or love her. Neither his husband and she were two love birds. People now are just cashing her name.

Hamari leader ne jaan di jaandi ....I am sick of it... 1000s of other people died in daily bomb blasts all over Pakistan. Did they even changed name of a Landa bazaar to those who died. ? They should realize that she is not only one who died in Bomb blast...More than 25000 Pakistani died over years.

If it continued like this the next thing we'll know will be "islami jamhoria Benazir Bhotto"

Rawal Road: BB Road, Islamabad Airport: BB International Airport, Jinnah Park "Wanted to rename it BB Park, but 10 Corps showed them who is boss".

In the first glance i though you are writing something about Blackblood

 

[sparklingway]

when it was started i thought it was perhaps one of the social safety nets but NO its not.

Most of the disbursements under BISP are going to PPP Jiyals and their recommended people

I have met people who have received money through BISP. One cannot express the feelings of a widow who has to raise 5 kids expressing her gratitude over a thousand rupees support, something you and I will probably not even acre about.

It is your "belief" that everything is being directed to jiyalas. It is your "thought" but unless you can back up with evidence that people really deserving and those who availed the opportunity to apply for it have been deprived of the support, I find it offensive that you claim to be a journalist yet you lay blame just like an average person who uses his sense and understanding of history and perception of people to hypothesize about actions. One cannot disregard that certain irregularities would have been committed, forms of the application distributed amongst jiyalas but to claim it the way most people do is pure hypothesizing without any credible evidence.

The issue shouldn't be her name at all in this case. I was never a big fan of her but I abhor the usual hate that spew out of the mouths of no-goody people who have nothing better than to mutter about others.