A legislative journey of 15th NA

As govt bows out, NA leaves behind a complicated and controversial legacy

ISLAMABAD:

As the curtain falls on the 15th National Assembly, the legacy it leaves behind is one of controversies and intense power play, of rare unity and discord. From bitter rivalries to unexpected unity and an abrupt change of government taking the helm, the stately walls witnessed an unusual legislative business.

Initially, in a political climate marked by strained relations between the government and the opposition, the first four and a half years of the NA saw limited legislative progress. For a PTI-led legislature, muscling legislation through the house was no small feat with bills largely bogged down by partisan divide.

One noteworthy exception, nonetheless, was the successful amendment to the law regarding the tenure of the army chief as it was the only legislation to receive unanimous backing across party lines, symbolising a rare moment of bipartisan unity.

In contrast, during the PDM rule, the National Assembly achieved unprecedented legislative milestones and passed a staggering number of bills.

The National Assembly convened a total of 52 sessions, conducting 443 sittings. However, it was the last session of the fifth parliamentary year, under the PDM regime, that saw an unprecedented legislative spree.

With a swift pace, the National Assembly passed 72 bills in just one week, including legislation on election reforms, amendments in important laws like the Army Act and Official Secrets Act, and changes to the NAB Ordinance.

Throughout its tenure, the National Assembly approved a total of 236 bills out of 349 introduced by its members. The first parliamentary year (2018-2019) saw the approval of ten bills, followed by 30 bills in the second parliamentary year (2019-2020).

The third parliamentary year (2020-2021) saw a surge, with 60 bills approved. In the fourth and fifth parliamentary years (2021-2022 and 2022-2023 respectively), 56 and 80 bills were approved, consolidating the legislative achievements of the PDM-led National Assembly. In addition, 14 private bills landed on the approval list.

This record-breaking legislative feat set a new record for swift parliamentary action. However, the coalition government faced severe criticism for its hurried legislation and for hushing up the policies that critics said required consultations.

The joint sessions played a significant role, convening 14 meetings with a total of 76 laws approved.

The PTI government enacted 42 bills, while the PDM government, through joint sessions, passed an additional 34 bills, resulting in a total of 195 bills being transformed into Acts of Parliament.

Furthermore, both the government and the opposition presented 105 resolutions during their respective periods, all of which were approved by the National Assembly. The PTI presented 55 resolutions while the PDM government presented 50 resolutions.