Pakistan gov't to amend constitution for Senate election, rejects proposal for mortgaging public part to issue sukuk

• Cabinet rejects proposal for mortgaging F-9 park to issue Islamic bond
• Formation of commission of inquiry on the Broadsheet issue approved

Published 27 Jan,2021 via Dawn ISLAMABAD - Despite no decision of the Supreme Court on a presidential reference filed recently to seek guidance whether coming Senate elections can be held through open ballot, the federal cabinet on Tuesday decided to table a bill in the parliament to amend the constitution for holding the polls through open vote.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, while presiding over the cabinet meeting, directed authorities concerned to submit details of expenditure the country had so far borne on litigation in international/foreign courts as the meeting was told that over $100 million had so far been spent to pay fee of lawyers for pursuing cases in international/foreign courts.

The meeting rejected a proposal for issuance of Sukuk bonds by mortgaging Islamabad’s Fatima Jinnah Park, commonly known as F-9 Park, as the prime minister expressed annoyance why the public park was marked for the purpose and why not a state-owned building.