Tag: National Assembly

  • NA passes 46 Acts, introduces 59 bills in its second year

    NA passes 46 Acts, introduces 59 bills in its second year

    The 16th National Assembly concluded its second parliamentary year, during which livestream access to proceedings remained restricted on several occasions.

    According to a report issued by the National Assembly Secretariat, 59 government bills were introduced during the year, 14 were received from Senate and 46 were passed by the House. In addition, 48 private members’ bills were introduced and 38 were received from the Senate, of which 13 were passed.

    A total of 40 government bills and six private members’ bills were enacted into law, bringing the number of Acts passed during the year to 46. The House also adopted 27 resolutions on national matters.

    The report lists the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill, the Digital Nation Pakistan Act, 2025, amendments to the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act and the Prevention of Smuggling of Migrants Act, 2025, the National Commission on the Status of Women (Amendment) Act, 2025, and the National Forensics Agency Act, 2024 among the legislation passed.

    The Assembly held 11 sessions, including three joint sittings, completing 130 working days and 87 sitting days, with a total duration of 237 hours and 36 minutes.

    Under its oversight mandate, the Assembly admitted 7,625 questions, of which 1,710 were answered by ministries. A total of 329 calling attention notices were received, with 49 taken up for discussion. Fifteen adjournment motions were submitted; 13 were disallowed. Of 33 questions of privilege raised, six were referred to standing committees, 18 remain under process, six were disallowed and two were withdrawn.

    The House received 263 motions under Rule 259, of which four were included in the orders of the day and three were discussed.

    During the budget session for fiscal year 2025-26, the Finance Bill was passed after debate and incorporation of amendments proposed by members. For the first time, the Budget Bill 2025-26 was referred to the standing committee on finance and revenue, comprising members from both the National Assembly and the Senate, for review.

    The report states that special focus was placed on the question hour. In cases where questions remained unanswered, relevant secretaries were summoned to provide responses.

    Parliamentary forums including the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus, the Parliamentary Caucus on Child Rights, the Young Parliamentarians Forum and the Parliamentary Task Force on Sustainable Development Goals conducted policy dialogues, workshops and consultations. 

    Provincial caucuses were also established to enhance coordination between federal and provincial stakeholders.


    The Youth Internship Programme, initiated in 2014 received over 20,000 applications for 400 positions during the year.


    According to the Secretariat, official social media platforms were reactivated and proceedings were broadcast through NA TV.

  • No more PTA tax? National Assembly body sets deadline for report on possible revisions

    No more PTA tax? National Assembly body sets deadline for report on possible revisions

    The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue on Tuesday directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to prepare a detailed report on mobile phone taxes with instructions to include policy options, economic impact, international comparisons, and proposed revisions.

    Chairing the meeting, MNA Naveed Qamar voiced his concerns about increasing mobile phone taxes, arguing that these devices have been misclassified as luxury goods. “I am not pleased with the current designation of mobile phones as luxury items,” he remarked. Mr. Qamar directed both the FBR and the Tax Policy Office to reassess the existing tax rates applied to the import of mobile phones under personal baggage and registration programs. He indicated that the report should be finalized by March 2026, enabling the committee to review the situation ahead of the upcoming budget.

    MNA Qasim Gilani pointed towards the impact on consumers, emphasizing that taxes are levied again if phones are lost or stolen. “Individuals are utilizing smartphones for content creation, video sharing, and e-commerce,” he noted, mentioning that the taxes for older iPhone 6 models can soar to Rs35,000, whereas imports of iPhone 12 can incur taxes up to Rs100,000.

    MNA Sharmila Faruqi highlighted the expense associated with newer models. “The latest iPhone retails for Rs350,000, with an additional tax burden of Rs190,000,” she stated. Officials from the FBR clarified that taxes are based on the prices of devices rather than specific models.

    MNA Mirza Ikhtiar Baig emphasized the necessity for the government to establish a clear taxation system and dismissed the idea that smartphones are exclusively for affluent individuals.

    The PTA Chairman informed the committee that only six percent of premium phones are imported, while the majority are produced domestically. He also mentioned that 5G licenses are anticipated to be granted between February and March of the following year.

    FBR Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial noted that, in general, smartphone prices and taxes have declined, with the exception of certain major brands. He added that the mobile phone sector generated Rs82 billion in tax revenue during the last fiscal year.

    The committee proposed placing smartphones under the Eighth Schedule to provide relief for consumers. Tax officials explained that the Ninth Schedule currently governs telecom items, whereas the Eighth Schedule offers concessions. They also highlighted that except for Apple, most smartphones are now produced locally.

  • 27th Amendment sails through Parliament after return to Senate

    27th Amendment sails through Parliament after return to Senate

    The Upper House on Thursday once again approved the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill with tweaks made by the Lower House on Wednesday.

    According to reports, Federal Minister for Law Azam Nazeer Tarar presented the constitutional amendment bill in the National Assembly with the changes made to the draft earlier approved by the Senate. The amendment received the 64 votes (two-thirds majority in the 96-member House) in favour and four against amid ruckus due to protest by opposition members.

    Earlier, the session kicked off with Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani in the chair.

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Ali Zafar maintained that his party and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) defectors were disqualified under Article 63-A of the Constitution as they, in the previous session, claimed on the floor of the house that they had resigned.

    “If they have indeed resigned and the article applies, I request that the votes of these two members not be counted [during the re-voting]. Otherwise, we will challenge the entire process,” he added.

    JUI-F’s Kamran Murtaza said that if someone voted against party lines and a resignation was sought from them under Article 63-A, those who wished to vote against the party should follow proper procedures.

    Tarar, however, disagreed, saying that the objection of PTI and JUI-F that a member was automatically disqualified under Article 63-A for voting against party lines was incorrect.

    He explained that the party head could submit a reference to the presiding officer or speaker under the Constitution. “We shouldn’t twist the Constitution for political point scoring,” he added.

    He further explained the process, saying that the presiding officer has two days to examine a written reference submitted by the party head and forward it to the Election Commission.

    The party head must also conduct a hearing with the defector for voting against party directives, as sometimes instructions are not properly communicated. The matter is then sent to the Election Commission, where a formal hearing is conducted. The member concerned can appeal a deseating decision in the Supreme Court.

    On Wednesday, the National Assembly passed the amendment bill that seeks to change the judicial structure and military command, with 234 votes in favour and four against amid opposition’s walkout. It included eight amendments aimed at clarifying the chief justice’s position, due to which the bill was sent back to the Upper House before the president’ ascent.

    Clauses 4, 19, 51, and 55, which collectively proposed to modify the wording of oaths administered to a range of constitutional officeholders, were also removed from the final text.

  • Rare win for PTI: Walkout stalls passage of key bill in National Assembly

    Rare win for PTI: Walkout stalls passage of key bill in National Assembly

    The federal government found itself in an awkward spot in the National Assembly (NA) on Thursday after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led opposition stalled the passage of a key money bill right in the middle of proceedings.


    According to reports, during the session, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb moved a motion to formally present the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill 2024. However, things didn’t go according to plan as the motion was unexpectedly defeated in a 67-32 vote. 


    The defeat quickly made the Pakistan Tehreek e Insaaf (PTI) lawmakers realize that the treasury didn’t have the numbers to maintain quorum. For reference, quorum refers to the minimum number of members that should be present for a meeting’s proceedings to be considered valid, which in this case required at least 84 members to be present in the 336-member assembly.


    As per reports, PTI members staged a walkout just after deputy speaker Ghulam Mustafa Shah announced the voting result. Aamir Dogar stayed behind to point out the missing quorum which was a strategic ploy that brought the session to a halt. This happened despite the chair reportedly approving two out of three clauses of the bill through a quick voice vote.


    Following the walkout, the deputy speaker called for an urgent headcount and was left with no choice but to suspend the session until quorum could be completed. However, reports indicate that instead of gaining numbers, the government actually lost more members, dropping below the 67 it had earlier.


    After a short break, when proceedings resumed, it was clear that the house still lacked enough members to continue and with no other option left, the chair wrapped up the sitting till Friday morning. This reportedly resulted in the assembly remaining unable to go ahead with the planned agenda for Thursday, which also included the approval of five other bills.


    The Income Tax (Amendment) Bill 2024 is already active, as it had first been introduced through an ordinance last year. However, details from reports suggest that the ordinance is about to expire after completing its constitutional term, meaning the government now needs to pass the bill in the National Assembly to keep it in force.


    According to the explanation attached to the bill, it aims to fix certain issues faced by taxpayers, especially those affected by the increased tax rates on income from federal government securities. It also looks to adjust and standardize the tax rate on the overall business income of banks.

  • National Assembly Secretariat declares PTI lawmakers as Sunni Ittehad Council members

    National Assembly Secretariat declares PTI lawmakers as Sunni Ittehad Council members

    The National Assembly Secretariat has issued a new list of party positions in the National Assembly (NA) and declared all Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers as Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) members.

    According to the new list, seats in the coalition government of political parties is two hundred thirteen as Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), hold one hundred ten seats; Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has sixty-nine seats, and Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) has twenty-two seats.

    Meanwhile, on the opposition benches, SIC has eighty seats, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) has eight seats, and PTI independent supporters have eight members.

    Secretariat officials did not mention twenty-three reserved seats and declared them disputed.

    Earlier, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq had penned a letter to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on September 19 stating that after the Elections Act Amendments, 2024, has been passed by the parliament, the Supreme Court’s reserved seats verdict of July 12 can no longer be implemented

  • Govt struggles to pass constitutional amendments as JUI-F resists

    Govt struggles to pass constitutional amendments as JUI-F resists

    The incumbent federal government has yet to secure a two-thirds majority in Parliament to approve a controversial constitutional package.

    Despite the government’s claim of having the requisite magic number in the Senate, the government is struggling to pass the amendments. Chief Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Maulana Fazlur Rehman, is resisting voting in favour of the government.

    The magic number to pass the constitutional package in the Senate (Upper House) is sixty-four, whereas the coalition government has confirmed fifty-nine votes.

    Ziauddin and Abdul Moiz Malik

    Meanwhile, JUI-F has five votes in the Senate.

    The government has not shared the constitutional package draft with any party, including Chief JUI-F Rehman, upon which he said, “It is a sensitive issue which should be discussed calmly.”

    Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly (NA) Omer Ayub Khan said, “They (the government) have no draft with them, and they did not know what to discuss.”

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf declared the constitutional package “a serious piece of legislation” and advised the government not to act hastily.

    The Senate meeting is expected at 12:30 PM today.

  • “Emotions, Complaints, Rebuttals: Lawmakers express outrage over arrests of PTI MNAs from prliament

    “Emotions, Complaints, Rebuttals: Lawmakers express outrage over arrests of PTI MNAs from prliament

    Discussion at the National Assembly (NA) turned heated following the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers from the Parliament premises. At the same time, chairman PTI Barrister Gohar Khan announced a boycott of the NA proceeding.

    Commenting on the First Information Report (FIR) registered against PTI lawmakers based on a new Public Order Act, Barrister Gohar said that no other country has a law to register complaints against the delay of a rally.

    He cleared that complaints had been lodged against him for carrying a gun and pistols alongside him, raising the question of FIR authenticity.

    He stated that the rally was delayed amid road blockages, which prevented the Chief Minister (CM) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Ali Amin Gandapur, from reaching the Sangjani area for the rally.

    Recording a party protest, Barrister stressed, “Except nine to ten PTI lawmakers, no other MNA would attend the NA proceedings until the September 10 inquiry.”

    Responding to Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto’s concerns about the PTI’s lawmaker resignation from Parliament, Gohar clarified: “Under no circumstance would the PTI resign from the parliament or any assembly, nor have we announced as such.”

    Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Atta Tarar has claimed that CCTV footage evidence shows no Member National Assembly (MNA) were arrested from parliament premises by federal capital police, which the opposition vehemently rejected.

    Responding to the MNA’s arrest from parliament premises, Bilawal said, “If the government functions only to plan who to arrest today, don’t be happy; we (all lawmakers) are next in the queue.”

    “Opposition shining his politics by the harsh language against journalists and judges,” he said.

    He said the PTI’s leadership can fight the case for Imran Khan but, in parliament, serve the people of Pakistan.

    “Constructively criticise the incumbent government instead of abusing,” he further advised.

    Defence Minister Khawaja Asif remarked, “No MNA would have been apprehended if CM KP Gandapur hadn’t used controversial language.”

    “Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders have been imprisoned in the past to save democracy, but why is there so much drama on Khan’s arrest?” he concluded.

  • PTI MNA’s sexist outburst targets female K-Electric employee in National Assembly

    PTI MNA’s sexist outburst targets female K-Electric employee in National Assembly

    In a shocking development, a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA, Iqbal Afridi, went on a sexist rant against a female employee of K-Electric during a meeting of the Standing Committee on Energy meeting of the National Assembly on Friday.

    “Mr Chairman, the K-Electric’s female employee’s dress code isn’t appropriate. There should be proper SOPs for dress code in National Assembly,” said the PTI MNA to Chairman Muhammad Idrees.

    Geo News reported that the agenda of the meeting revolved around K-Electric’s performance.

    As the meeting concluded and the team left, the PTI MNA considered it essential to discuss a woman’s attire in the meeting.

    The Chairman of the committee, Muhammad Idrees, apologised in front of journalists, remarking that a woman’s dress code shouldn’t have been discussed in the first place.

    Afridi, however, was undeterred and spoke with journalists, saying, “If this kind of people come into a civilized society, then what will our kids say? You saw the woman who was here; her clothes weren’t appropriate.”

  • PTI leadership contacts Fawad Chaudhry

    PTI leadership contacts Fawad Chaudhry

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) current leadership has contacted former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry to hold talks for his return to the party, ARY News reported on Wednesday, reportedly also asking him to stop criticizing them.

    PTI representatives stressed the need for unity among opposition parties in the current political scenario.

    As per ARY News, PTI leaders agreed to work together to achieve their goals, welcoming the positive suggestions presented by Fawad Chaudhry.

    Sources within the ARY News confirmed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and former Speaker of National Assembly Asad Qaiser are in contact with Fawad Chaudhry.

    However, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan was denied any contact with the former information minister. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan will take the final decision to take Fawad Chaudhry back to the party or not.

  • Sher Afzal Marwat PTI main wapis aanay ko tiar

    Sher Afzal Marwat PTI main wapis aanay ko tiar

    Maverick member of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Sher Afzal Marwat told journalists in London that he can only rejoin the party at the request of incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

    He told reporters that he’s been out of the party since eight months and will only join again at Imran Khan’s request. Marwat also confirmed that he plans to meet Khan after Eid.

    The Member National Assembly (NA) also alleged that PTI misled young Pakistanis living abroad against the state’s security institutions.

    The PTI leader condemned the campaign against the country’s institutions.