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Turkey to scrap PM office in new Presidential system

Dawood Rehman 02:35 PM | 18 Nov, 2016
Turkey to scrap PM office in new Presidential system
ANKARA - Turkey would no longer have a prime minister under constitutional reforms as the Erdogan-led government is seeking to usher in a presidential system, a cabinet minister said yesterday.

“There won’t be prime ministry in the new system,” Forestry and Water Works Minister Veysel Eroglu told the state-run Anadolu Agency on Thursday.

“In general there is a president and next to him probably a vice-president like in the United States. We might have more than one vice-president,” he said.

Turkey's legislative and executive branches would however remain separate, he added. The new format is expected to be submitted to a referendum next year.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who reached Turkey on Thursday night after a two-day tour to Pakistan, has long sought a presidential system that would give the country's largely ceremonial presidency executive powers.

Erdogan, who was elected to the top post in 2014 after serving as prime minister for more than a decade, wants a strong presidency similar to France or the United States.

Until recently, opposition parties had opposed a presidential system, fearing it would allow Erdogan to rule unchecked.

His ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) needs at least 330 votes in the 550-seat parliament to call a referendum to legislate the changes.

The government is now engaged in talks with the country's nationalist party, which has recently suggested it could support putting a presidential system to a referendum vote in the spring.

Eroglu predicted that the proposed package would be put to a referendum next spring with the support of MPs from the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

Opponents say that since he was elected Erdogan has become de-facto executive president and argue the proposed changes could drag Turkey into one-man rule.

Before Erdogan became head of state, the Turkish prime minister was seen as the number one but current Prime Minister Binali Yildirim is very much his subordinate. The full blueprint is yet to emerge, but Erdoglu indicated that cabinet ministers would no longer be MPs.

The Ankara bureau chief of Hurriyet Daily News Serkan Demirtas wrote on Tuesday that under the changes Erdogan could stay in power until 2029 as the clock on the maximum two mandates would start from zero.

Dawood Rehman
Dawood Rehman

The writer is a member of the staff.

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Today's currency exchange rates in Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal rates on March 31, 2023

KARACHI - Following are the foreign currency exchange rates for US Dollar, Saudi Riyal, UK Pound Sterling, U.A.E. Dirham, European Euro, and other foreign currencies in Pakistan open market on March 31, 2023 (Friday).

Source: Forex Association of Pakistan. (last update 09:00 AM)

Currency Symbol Buying Selling
US Dollar ‎USD 283.8 286.6
Euro EUR 306 309
UK Pound Sterling GBP 347.5 351
U.A.E Dirham AED 77.2 79.9
Saudi Riyal SAR 75.6 76.4
Australian Dollar AUD 187.5 189.9
Bahrain Dinar BHD 753.99 761.99
Canadian Dollar CAD 206.5 208.7
China Yuan CNY 41.25 41.65
Danish Krone DKK 41.26 41.51
Hong Kong Dollar HKD 36.11 36.46
Indian Rupee INR 3.45 3.56
Japanese Yen JPY 2.15 2.22
Kuwaiti Dinar KWD 925.67 934.67
Malaysian Ringgit MYR 62.85 63.45
New Zealand Dollar NZD 175.57 177.58
Norwegians Krone NOK 26.33 26.63
Omani Riyal OMR 736.34 744.35
Qatari Riyal ‎QAR 77.92 78.62
Singapore Dollar SGD 209.5 211.5
Swedish Korona SEK 26.5 26.8
Swiss Franc CHF 308.25 310.75
Thai Bhat THB 8.28 8.43

Today's gold rates in Pakistan – 31 March 2023

KARACHI - The price of a single tola of 24-karat gold in Pakistan is Rs 208,200 on Friday. The price of 10 grams of 24k gold was recorded at Rs178,500.   

Likewise, 10 grams of 22k gold were being traded for Rs163,624 while a single tola of 22-karat gold was being sold at Rs 190,849.

Note: The gold rate in Pakistan is fluctuating according to the international market so the price is never been fixed. The below rates are provided by local gold markets and Sarafa Markets of different cities.

City Gold Silver
Lahore PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Karachi PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Islamabad PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Peshawar PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Quetta PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Sialkot PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Attock PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Gujranwala PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Jehlum PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Multan PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Bahawalpur PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Gujrat PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Nawabshah PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Chakwal PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Hyderabad PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Nowshehra PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Sargodha PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470
Faisalabad PKR 208,200 PKR 2,470

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