ISLAMABAD: Federal ministers, suspended from parliamentary membership by the apex court, became advisors to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, DawnNews reported on Monday.

Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and Minister for Petroleum Dr Asim Hussain were made advisors to the prime minister after they lost their membership from the parliament.

Earlier today, the apex court suspended memberships of 28 lawmakers of the national and provincial assemblies after the government failed to amend the Constitution to validate the recently held by-elections on what were said to be on bogus voters’ lists.

According to reliable sources, both will enjoy the same privileges as they were as federal ministers.

According to the verdict, the government had failed to pass an amendment bill within the given time frame and therefore the court had decided to suspend the memberships of the concerned lawmakers until the government amended the constitution.

In a related development, the government has claimed that it has built consensus with the opposition over passing 20th Constitutional Amendment Bill from the parliament.