Bill in NA to withdraw voting right from dual nationals

Three bills were introduced in the National Assembly on Tuesday, including an important piece of legislation about the voting rights of the overseas Pakistanis, as the issue of lack of quorum returned to the lower house of parliament.

Noor Alam Khan, a dissident Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker, tabled the Election Act Amendment Bill, while the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) moved a constitutional amendment bill to allocate National Assembly seats to the disabled.

Introducing the Election Act Amendment Bill, Noor Alam Khan said that he was not against granting voting rights to overseas Pakistanis with single Pakistani citizenship but wanted to withdraw this right from the overseas Pakistanis with dual citizenship.

The house transacted private members’ business during the session chaired by Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf. The Election (Amendment) Bill, 2022, The Pakistan Environmental Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2022 and The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2022 were sent to the relevant committees.

During the session, Tahira Aurangzeb of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) raised the issue of price-hike through a calling attention notice. In reply, State Minister for Finance Dr Ayesha Ghous assured the house that inflation would come down soon.

Read Alvi signs bill on EVM, expats voting right

Pasha said that the government was utilizing all available resources to bring down the prices of essential items. She reminded that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a massive relief package under which 19 essential items were being sold at subsidized rates at the Utility Stores.

The house also discussed a resolution moved by Federal Minister Mian Javed Latif. Speaking on the resolution, Latif fired a broadside against former prime minister Imran Khan. He said that the PTI chief wanted to roll back the country’s nuclear programme like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said that the PTI lawmakers had tendered resignations in the past, yet they drew salaries. Now, he added, they would do the same. He also said that under Article 48 of the Constitution, the president was bound to act on the advice of the prime minister.

“The president violated the Constitution, the PTI government violated the Constitution through a wrong ruling,” he said. “This has happened for the first time in the history of Pakistan. If the president does not respect the Constitution, he should go home with dignity.”

Opposition member Dr Fehmida Mirza of the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) criticised the government for the price-hike and electricity load-shedding and water shortage in Sindh. She also criticised the speaker for not appointing the leader of the opposition.

Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf said that the decision about the leader of the opposition would be taken soon, stressing that the post would go to the person who had the support of the most members. Later, the GDA staged a walkout from the house until the opposition leader was appointed.

GDA member Ghous Bakhsh Mehr pointed out the quorum which was lacking. On that, the speaker adjourned the session until 11.30 am Wednesday (today). Earlier, at the outset of the session, the house offered Fateha for the departed soul of former member Prince Mohiuddin.