ISLAMABAD, Oct 15: The government has agreed to hold talks with the Leader of Opposition and heads of the parliamentary parties on the proposed 22nd constitutional amendment bill after a majority of members of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Law and Justice advised it to adopt the path of dialogue and not to rush the controversial legislation through parliament in haste.

A meeting of the committee, presided over by its chairman Mohammad Kazim Khan, was held here on Monday, but PPP stalwarts Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan and Raza Rabbani, ANP’s Daud Khan Achakzai, PML-F’s Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah and JUI-F’s Maulana Mohammad Khan Shirani skipped it.

Senator Haji Adeel of ANP, one of the two special invitees, also did not turn up.

Observers believe that since Mr Ahsan and Mr Rabbani had already opposed the proposed legislation in the house, they deliberately stayed away from the crucial phase of legislative process and thus saved the government from embarrassment.

The ANP’s position on the proposed law is also known and it is believed that the others who chose not to attend the meeting in fact favoured the government.

A proposal by Raja Zafarul Haq, the PML-N Chairman, that the “serious members” of the cabinet should hold talks with the leader of opposition and heads of the parliamentary parties won instant support from the chairman and other members of the committee. Law Minister Farooq H. Naek, who is its ex-officio member, had no other option but to retreat.

The committee, however, could not decide on the proposal to include in the process political parties out of parliament, although Leader of the House in the Senate, Jehangir Badr, supported the idea.

Dr Farogh Naseem of the MQM supported the bill, but suggested certain amendments if it was not acceptable in the present shape. He said in order to arrive at a compromise the proposed bill could be amended to place a bar on lawmakers holding dual nationality from assuming office of the prime minister and some key ministries, including defence, foreign affairs and finance.

He said overseas Pakistanis should be allowed to contest elections, but they should be bound by law to renounce their nationality of another country before taking oath of office.

Dr Naseem said another option was that the contestants should declare their dual nationality before taking part in the polls and if they secure more votes then other candidates, the result should be accepted as voice of the majority.

While Syed Zafar Ali Shah of the PML-N said there was no need to amend Article 63 (1) (c) of the Constitution, Raja Zafarul Haq insisted that the bill was not acceptable in its present shape.