National Assembly Passes Election Act Amendment Bill Amidst Opposition Protests

Islamabad:The National Assembly has approved the Election Act Amendment Bill by a majority vote despite strong opposition protests and commotion.

The session, chaired by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, saw the Chairman of the Parliamentary Affairs Committee present the committee’s report on the Election Act Amendment Bill. The bill was brought before the assembly for approval, and a motion to discuss the amendment was also approved by the house.

The motion was presented by Bilal Azhar Kiani, which was met with fierce opposition from members. Opposition lawmakers staged a protest, chanted slogans, encircled the speaker’s desk, and tore copies of the agenda.

During the session, Ali Mohammad Khan proposed an amendment to the bill, which was opposed by the Law Minister. Law Minister Azam Nazir maintained that the legislation was in line with the Constitution and was not unconstitutional. Khan argued that the legislation aimed to obstruct their party’s path, stating that 41 members had sworn affidavits claiming affiliation with the Sunni Ittehad Council, and accused the government of unfairly allocating reserved seats.

Khan also pointed out that the Supreme Court had recognized PTI as a political party and questioned why it would be considered acceptable for 39 members but not for 41. He rejected the bill and stated their intention to challenge the legislation in court if necessary.

The Speaker then proceeded with the clause-by-clause approval of the Election Act Amendment Bill. Despite the ongoing protests and disruptions from the opposition, the bill was passed by a majority vote, and the assembly also rejected the opposition’s amendment proposal.