In this file photo, Babar Awan meets Imran Khan at the PM Secretariat. Photo courtesy Fahad Chaudhry
ISLAMABAD: Amid sharp criticism by opposition parties of the promulgation of the Elections (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 for open vote in the coming Senate polls, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan has explained that if the Supreme Court does not support the presidential reference, the ordinance will die immediately.
While talking to
Dawn on Sunday, the PM’s aide said the government introduced the presidential ordinance with the sunset clause as it would die if an SC decision in the presidential reference came against open vote and before the Senate polls.
A general view of the National Assembly session on Wednesday. DawnNewsTV
The National Assembly witnessed a noisy session on Wednesday as the government presented the 26th constitutional amendment bill in the lower house that seeks open balloting in the Senate elections.
Minister for Law and Justice Farogh Naseem presented the bill amid loud sloganeering and protest by the opposition benches. We are amending the Constitution, not stealing the election, the minister said while responding to the opposition s criticism.
Speaker Asad Qaiser invited Naseem to speak about the salient features of the bill, but he could hardly do so due to the ruckus before the speaker announced a recess.
26th constitutional amendment bill unaddressed due to uproar in National Assembly
Pakistan
Thu, Feb 04, 2021
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly (NA) on Wednesday could not take up the motion for the passage of the Constitution (Twenty-sixth Amendment) Bill, 2020 amid the Opposition’s protest in the house.
Minister for Law and Justice Farogh Naseem moved the bill as approved by the relevant standing committee.
The bill mainly seeks Senate elections through open ballot, however, the house did not take up the motion for its passage due to the protest of opposition lawmakers.
Naseem was asked by Speaker Asad Qaisar to speak about the salient features of the 26th constitutional amendment bill, but he could hardly do so amid loud sloganeering from the opposition.
A general view of the National Assembly session on Wednesday. DawnNewsTV
The National Assembly witnessed a noisy session on Wednesday as the government presented the 26th constitutional amendment bill in the lower house that seeks open balloting in the Senate elections.
Minister for Law and Justice Farogh Naseem presented the bill amid loud sloganeering and protest by the opposition benches. We are amending the Constitution, not stealing the election, the minister said while responding to the opposition s criticism.
Speaker Asad Qaiser invited Naseem to speak about the salient features of the bill, but he could hardly do so due to the ruckus before the speaker announced a recess.
NA passes bills amid ruckus
Top Story
February 2, 2021
ISLAMABAD: The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority Bill, 2020 and two other bills sailed through the National Assembly amid strong protest and sloganeering from the opposition members on Monday.
The opposition members gathered in front of Speaker’s dais while raising slogans ‘release speaker’, ‘wake-up speaker’ and ‘give relief to people’ as government members okayed the bill moved by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan in the House.
The opposition members threw the torn apart copies of the bill towards speaker’s dais while the House also passed the Public Private Partnership Authority Bill, 2020 and the Pakistan Single Window Bill, 2021.