Pak National Assembly passes resolution seeking extension in seven ordinances amid Oppn protests

Pakistan National Assembly on Friday passed a resolution seeking extension in seven ordinances.

Amid protests by the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC)-led opposition, Pakistan National Assembly, on Friday, passed a resolution seeking extension in seven ordinances, Geo News reported. Pakistan's Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar introduced seven ordinances and two bills in the House. The Bills tabled in the House included the Civil Courts Amendment Bill, 2024 and the Legal Aid and Justice Authority Amendment Bill, 2024. The chair referred the bills to the concerned standing committees.

The ordinances tabled also included the Pakistan Postal Services Management Board (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023, the National Highway Authority (Amendment) Ordinance 2023, Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (Amendment) Ordinance 2023, the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023, the Privatization Commission (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023, Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023, and the Establishment of Telecommunication Appellate Tribunal Ordinance, 2023. Speaking on the point of order, SIC leader Omar Ayub Khan said the Opposition rejected the ordinances. He requested the Speaker to take pictures of those in favour of the ordinances, as those were "passed to sell Pakistan."

Khan stressed that the lawmakers must first see what the ordinance was, according to Geo News report. Questioning the lawmakers on the Treasury benches, he said, "Tell me what it was, tell me under oath how many people in the House have read it." He said an ordinance related to privatisation was introduced in the Pakistan's National Assembly. He said that even Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) members did not know what they were doing.

"There are talks of selling these institutions of Pakistan, we are going on record on that," Omar Ayub Khan said. Amid disruptions by the Opposition in the House, Pakistan National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq held counting of votes on the extension of Ordinances. During the voting, 130 votes were in favour of the resolution and 63 were against it.

Responding to the point of order, Azam Nazeer Tarar said pictures should be taken of those who were committing treason against Pakistan and writing letters to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He said the opposition leaders should read the ordinance first before making remarks about it, Geo News reported.

Earlier, in February, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) wrote a letter to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), urging the global lender to endorse an audit of the elections conducted on February 8 for the sake of political stability in the country, before the start of its negotiations with Pakistan government over a new bailout package, Pakistan-based Dawn reported. He asked the Opposition to stand for Pakistan and not behind a 'prisoner'. The SIC members tore documents which enraged the speaker. Ayaz Sadiq said if it happened again, he would be forced to take disciplinary action, Geo News reported.

Pakistan's law Minister said the government will seek the views of the allied parties. He said that they legislated after extending old ordinances, adding that they would take the House into confidence on the legislation. Ayaz Sadiq referred the bills to the relevant committee, according to the report. (ANI)

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