Pakistan PM Abbasi hints at scrapping Article 62(1)(f)

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Tuesday said that Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution may be scrapped with the consultation of all parties.

Article 62(1)(f), sets the precondition for the head of government to be "sadiq and ameen" (truthful and honest), had provided the grounds of the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif, Abbasi's predecessor, from holding public office in the July 28 judgement on the Panama Papers case handed down by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

The Supreme Court had ruled that because Sharif failed to declare a salary accruing to him as an asset in his nomination papers for the 2013 election, he could not be considered 'truthful' and hence was unfit to continue in office.

While talking to Geo News on Tuesday, the prime minister hinted that his government would take the initiative of removing Article 62 (1)(f), which has been criticised heavily following the verdict, by contacting all political parties and politicians of all hues.

"The PML-N leadership has shown resilience despite all odds and continued the democratic process in the face of conspiracies," he continued, adding that "conspiracies were being hatched to derail the system."

He explained that whatever caused harm to a democratically elected government could be construed as a "conspiracy" against Pakistan.

"Elements, who do not want Pakistan to march on the path of progress are scheming against it," Abbasi added.

"Nawaz Sharif has left his office but his policies will continue," he said while expressing confidence that his government would achieve the PML-N's mega-development targets as conceived by the deposed prime minister.

Stressing upon the preparation of a new charter of democracy, which could include subjects like ethics and economy, he said that all political parties should be included in the charter.

"There is a need to bring all the political parties on one platform," Abbasi added.