Govt mulls early Senate session for key bill

Coalition partners are consulting to call the session on July 4

ISLAMABAD:

The government is likely to call a Senate session this week to table the Election Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024, a bill that has already been passed by the National Assembly.

According to parliamentary sources, the next session is scheduled for July 8. However, consultations are still underway among the coalition partners to call the session ahead of its schedule on July 4.

The sources said the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs has sent a summary to convene the session on July 4. They added that the Elections (Amendment) Bill 2024 will be presented for approval in the Senate session.

The purpose of the bill is to make retired judges of the high courts eligible for appointment as members of election tribunals.

Consultations are also ongoing about passing a resolution condemning the US House of Representatives’ resolution during the Senate session, the sources added.

In a significant display of bipartisan support, the US House of Representatives last week passed a resolution expressing robust support for democracy in Pakistan by an overwhelming 368-7 vote. It emphasized the importance of free and fair elections, calling for a thorough and independent investigation into any claims of interference or irregularities in Pakistan’s 2024 elections.

On June 28, the National Assembly condemned the US resolution. It stated that Pakistan “will not accept any interference in its internal affairs, and the subject resolution is an attempt to undermine the state.”