Islamabad, Nov 14: The proclamation of emergency in Pakistan and promulgation of the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) have turned around 70 presidential ordinances into laws without parliament sanction.

Though ordinances could not be called acts, they would be deemed as laws after the proclamation of the PCO, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sher Afgan Niazi said.

“There’s no need to re-promulgate them after 120 days of their issuance or pass them in the form of bill from Parliament, ” the Daily Times quoted Niazi, as saying.

According to sources, all acts of the government carried out during the emergency rule and under the PCO would be indemnified by the next parliament through a Legal Framework Order (LFO).

“Now, all the ordinances will act as laws without their passage by the parliament or re-promulgation, ” said Niazi.

An ordinance promulgated by the President or by the Governor of a Province shall not be subject to any limitations as to duration prescribed in the Constitution, stipulates the Section 5 (1) of the PCO.

The PCO is not only applicable to the ordinances to be promulgated after November 3, but has also covered all the ordinances issued before and were in force at the time of promulgation of PCO.

“The provisions of Clause (1) shall also apply to an Ordinance issued by the President or by Governor, which was in force immediately before the commencement of the proclamation of the 3rd day of November, 2007, ” reads Section 5 (2) of the PCO.

The president is empowered to promulgate an ordinance equal to an Act of Parliament under Article 89 of the Constitution in case the National Assembly is not in session, but it would stand repealed after a period of 120 days if not re-promulgated or adopted by the parliament in the form of a bill. (ANI)