The Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) has issued a report detailing its assessment of the recently-concluded general election, expressing deep concerns over a decline in fairness scores compared to previous election cycles.
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly of Pakistan in a historic move, approved the 31st Amendment Bill 2017, paving way for the merger of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) with the province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).
A total of 229 parliamentarians voted for the bill while one opposed it.
After months of delays, the ruling party had tabled the reforms bill for the tribal areas in the Parliament to fulfill its promise to “take Fata reforms to its logical conclusion during the current tenure of assemblies.”
The bill was presented by Law Minister Chaudhry Mahmood Bashir Virk. 229 members of the parliament had supported the resolution to table Fata reforms bill while 11 opposed it.
Those in favor of the bill included Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), PTI, Jamat-e-Islami and the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). Lawmakers from the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) opposing the bill, staged a walkout from the session.
The 56th session of the Parliament was attended by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan – who, in a surprise move, also marked his attendance to vote for the merger of Fata with K-P.
Where the government lacked attendance, the opposition was in full strength. Despite JUI-F MNA Maulna Jamaluddin pointing out quorum, the house remained in order. Leader of the Opposition Khurshid Shah told Speaker Ayaz Sadiq that history will remember that for the first time opposition maintained the order of the house.
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