PPP, N strike deal on 20th amendment: Abrar Ali Saeed

ISLAMABAD – Breaking the impasse with the main opposition party, government has conceded to the demands of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to incorporate issues relating to the members of the Election Commission of Pakistan in the draft bill of the constitutional amendment before it would be tabled before the House for passage.Meanwhile, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, while talking to the leaders of the coalition parties at a dinner he hosted in their honour at Prime Minister House, has expressed his optimism that 20th Constitutional Amendment will be passed by the Parliament with consensus vote.The coalition partners were taken on board by the prime minister on the strategy adopted in this connection. The prime minister said that he had personally talked to JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and sought his cooperation for the purpose while the negotiations with other parties in the opposition including main opposition party Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) were in progress for the purpose.Sources aware of the back channel contacts between the ruling PPP and PML-N, said talks were in progress for quite sometime but the breakthrough was made on Wednesday when Syed Naveed Qamar and Senator Mian Raza Rabbani held detailed negotiations with PML-N leader Ishaq Dar and Zahid Hamid who brokered the deal on behalf of their party.It was agreed between the two sides that the resolvable issues relating to the eight members of the Election Commission of Pakistan, two from each province, would be made part of the 20th Amendment Bill and then the PML-N would extend support to the 20th Constitutional Amendment.Similarly, the PPP leaders had also given assurance to the PML-N counterparts that they would not give extension to the incumbent chief election commissioner who would be retiring in the coming March and would appoint the next Chief Election Commissioner strictly in accordance with the procedure laid down for it in the 18th Constitutional Amendment.The ruling PPP had also assured the opposition that they would also incorporate the amendments proposed by PML-N in the National Accountability Commission Bill languishing with the National Assembly Standing Committee on Law and Justice for past over three years.Sources in the government informed that the government rushed into meaningful negotiations with the main opposition party PML-N when they saw some of their own coalition partners pushing them to a tight corner and the chances of 20th Amendment passage without the support of PML-N seemed bleak.Sources further informed that the signatures of all the three coalition partners on the joint resolution prepared by the opposition against the recent hike in the petroleum prices had panicked the ruling PPP and they were left with little choice to accept the demand of PML-N to bring amendment in the draft Bill of 20th Constitutional Amendment to accommodate its demands regarding the Election Commission of Pakistan.According to the press release issued by the Prime Minister’s House, besides the MNAs, the dinner was attended by various leaders of the coalition parties including Ch Shujaat Hussain, Haji Munir Khan Orakzai, Haider Abbas Rizvi, Babar Ghauri, Ghulam Muhammad Bilour, Haji Khuda Bakhsh Rajar and Saima Akhtar Bharwana.The coalition partners assured the prime minister of their full support for the adoption of the 20th Constitutional Amendment. They said the amendment would benefit all the parties by giving legal cover to the bye-elections.The prime minister thanked the coalition partners for strengthening democracy and political system in the country.

Solid India cruise to first win of tour against Australia

Melbourne: Fine batting by Gautam Gambhir (56*) and Virat Kohli (31) guided India to a comfortable 8-wicket victory over Australia in the second T20 international at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.

India, who levelled the two-match series 1-1, attained the target in 19.4 overs
Gambhir slammed a quickfire 54-ball fifty that included 3 boundaries. Gambhir and Kohli, who added 54 runs for the second wicket, steadied Indian run chase after losing Virender Sehwag.
Mitchell Marsh dismissed Virat Kohli to give Australia second breakthrough against India
Chasing 132, India lost their second wicket at the score of 97. India, who reached the score of 100 runs in 85 balls, were 71 after the end of 10 overs.
Left-arm spinner Brad Hogg gave Australia first breakthrough as he got rid of dangerous Virender Sehwag in the second T20 international. Sehwag gave an easy catch to Shaun Marsh straight at extra cover that too on a full toss.
Sehwag and Gambhir, who gave India steady start against Australia, added 43 runs for the first wicket in the second Twenty20 international.
Earlier, an agile India gave a good account of themselves in the field as they effected four run-outs to dismiss Australia for a modest 131 in the second Twenty20 international.
Aaron Finch was the top scorer for Australia with 36 while Matthew Wade made 32. Pacer Praveen Kumar and leg-spinner Rahul Sharma picked up two wickets each.
Australia, who kept losing their wickets at regular intervals, lost half of their side inside 95 runs in the second T20I.
All five frontline bowlers, Praveen Kumar (2 for 21), Vinay Kumar (2 for 25), Ravinder Jadeja (1 for 16), Rahul Sharma (2 for 29) and Ravichandran Ashwin (1 for 23) bowled well.
Matthew Wade, hero of the first Twenty20 game, came to bat at number six, made 32 before being the third batsman to be run out for 32.
Aaron Finch (36 off 23 balls), opening in place of Wade this time, made a strokeful knock before being run out at a critical time.
India bowled and fielded with enthusiasm and it all started after Praveen picked up two wickets in his second over.
Indian skipper MS Dhoni also rose to the occasion as he was quite electrifying behind the stumps and instrumental in few stumpings and catches behind the wickets.
Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja, who exhibited his fine fielding skills, struck with the ball as he caught and bowled Australia’s David Hussey to give India crucial breakthrough in the second T20 international.
Rahul Sharma got rid of Mitchell Marsh with the help of brilliant work done behind the stumps by Indian skipper MS Dhoni.
Ravindra Jadeja’s brilliant work on the field sent Australia’s Aaron Finch and George Bailey back to the pavillion in the second Twenty20 international at the MCG.
Australia got off to a poor start as they lost David Warner and Shaun Marsh cheaply after skipper George Bailey won the toss and showed no hesitation in deciding to bat first against the beleaguered visitors.
Paceman Praveen Kumar dismissed David Warner and Shaun Marsh in the span of four deliveries to give Aussies early blows.
Australia made three changes in their playing eleven as Travis Birt, Dan Christian and James Faulkner made the way for Aaron Finch, Shaun Marsh and Clint McKay.
India, on the other hand, retained the same team that lost the first Twenty20 match in Sydney on Wednesday.