Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf addresses the parliamentarians at a dinner hosted by him at PM House in Islamabad on Thursday night. – Photo by APP

ISLAMBAD: Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, congratulating the lawmakers on successful five-year term of the Parliament on Thursday, said that this unprecedented achievement was a milestone in country’s democratic history.

Speaking at a dinner ceremony in honour of members of the National Assembly here, the prime minister said that it was for the first time in Pakistan’s history that a democratic government completed its constitutional term successfully, adding that it would be another historic occasion that the power would be transferred to another government in a peaceful and democratic manner.

He expressed the hope that this achievement of the government would be a prelude for continuation and stability of democracy in the country.

Unfortunately, the prime minister said, the country’s parliamentary history always confront with uncertain situation where the undemocratic forces usurped the rights of the people and made decisions of their future.

He said the incumbent government has again reversed the right of the people to them and now the people would decide by themselves about their representatives.

Prime Minister Ashraf said the current Parliament also has the honour that armed forces for the first time briefed the house on country’s security situation and defence budget was discussed in the parliament and its supremacy was accepted.

The premier said that all legislation was done with consensus and it was due to the reconciliatory policy of the government to accept positive proposals of the opposition parties.

He said that it was a matter of pride that 102 bills were passed unanimously from this august house, similarly, a total of 77 resolutions were passed out of which 40 were from the treasury benches and 37 private.

The prime minister said the greatest achievement of the Parliament was that it restored the 1973 Constitution to its original form which strengthened the democratic values and established supremacy of the Parliament at all levels.

The prime minister said the Parliament passed the 18th, 19th and 20th Constitutional amendments which ensured provincial autonomy, rights of women and minorities and made the Election Commission of Pakistan administratively and financially independent.

He said the BISP programme-passed by the parliament was benefitting 70 million deserving families. He said this Parliament for the first time elected a female Speaker which further highlighted the women’s rights.