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Tag: National Assembly

  • Marriyum Aurangzeb says date for dissolution of assembly not finalised as yet

    Marriyum Aurangzeb says date for dissolution of assembly not finalised as yet

    Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb has in a tweet denied that the date of the dissolution of the National Assembly has been finalised.

    “The date [of dissolution] will be decided in consultation with the PDM and other allied parties. The decision on the date of dissolution of the National Assembly will be officially announced,” she wrote.

    Earlier in the day, Geo News reported that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), the two major partners in the ruling coalition, have agreed to dissolve the National Assembly on August 8, a few days before the end of the assembly’s tenure.

  • National Assembly will be dissolved in August; PPP, PML-N agree

    National Assembly will be dissolved in August; PPP, PML-N agree

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), the two major political parties in the ruling coalition, have agreed to dissolve the National Assembly on August 8, Geo News has reported.

    However, Information Minister Mariyum Aurangzeb has tweeted that the date of the dissolution of the National Assembly has not been decided yet.

    “The date [of dissolution] will be decided in consultation with the PDM and other allied parties. The decision on the date of dissolution of the National Assembly will be officially announced,” she added.

    The National Assembly is completing its tenure on August 12 at midnight, but it seems like the lower house is going to be dissolved before time. According to sources, August 9 and 10 also came under discussion, but both major political parties agreed on August 8 to dissolve the National Assembly.

    “A general election to the National Assembly or a provincial assembly shall be held within a period of sixty days immediately following the day on which the term of the assembly is due to expire, unless the Assembly has been sooner dissolved,” Article 224 of the Constitution states.

    In the previous week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had said, “Next month, our government will complete its tenure. We will leave before the completion of our tenure, and an interim government will come”.

  • Govt increases excise duty on registration of cars over 2000cc

    Govt increases excise duty on registration of cars over 2000cc

    The federal government has implemented a considerable increase in excise duty on vehicle registration for vehicles with engine capacities exceeding 2000cc in the Finance Bill for the fiscal year 2023-2024.

    Under the new regulations, a fixed tax rate of six per cent has been imposed on vehicles ranging from 2001cc to 2500cc. Individuals who file their taxes will be subject to a tax payment of Rs0.25 million for vehicles falling within this range.

    For vehicles with engine capacities between 2501cc and 3000cc, the government has introduced an eight per cent fixed tax rate. Previously, filers were required to pay Rs0.2 million, while non-filers were subjected to a higher tax amount of Rs 0.4 million. Furthermore, a substantial ten per cent fixed tax has been imposed on the registration of vehicles with a capacity of 3000cc.

    The National Assembly has already approved the Finance Bill for the upcoming fiscal year, incorporating vital budgetary proposals. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar presented the bill to the House, outlining a total outlay of Rs14,480 billion.

    The passage of the federal budget in the House was a crucial step taken to address the concerns of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and secure the revival of a suspended loan program. In light of these developments, revisions were made to the tax collection target, raising it from Rs9,200 billion to Rs9,415 billion.

    To accommodate increased pension payments, an allocation of Rs801 billion has been designated, reflecting a significant rise from the previously allocated amount of Rs761 billion. These measures demonstrate the government’s commitment to addressing pressing fiscal matters and ensuring financial stability.

  • National Assembly passes amendment limiting disqualification to maximum five years

    National Assembly passes amendment limiting disqualification to maximum five years

    The National Assembly on Sunday adopted a bill seeking an amendment to the Elections Act 2017, aimed at limiting the disqualification of lawmakers to a maximum of five years.

    The bill, presented by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in the National Assembly, came into force immediately. The bill had already been passed by the Senate on June 16.

    The bill includes an amendment to Section 232 (Disqualification on account of offenses) of the Election Act, 2017.

    Any individual who is disqualified by a court ruling shall be excluded for a maximum of five years from the day the judgment is made public. The period of disqualification under Article 62(1)(f) cannot exceed five years.


    “Notwithstanding anything contained in any other provision of this Act, any other law for the time being in force and judgment, order or decree of any court, including the Supreme Court and a high court, the disqualification of a person to be elected, chosen or to remain as a member of the Parliament or provincial assembly under paragraph (f) of clause (1) of Article 62 of the Constitution shall be for a period not exceeding five years from the declaration of the court of law in that regard and such declaration shall be subject to the due process of law,” it stated.

  • Federal govt considering premature dissolution of National Assembly

    Federal govt considering premature dissolution of National Assembly

    The federal collation government is considering a premature dissolution of the National Assembly, Samaa has reported.

    According to Samaa’s sources, the federal government has considered dissolving the National Assembly a week before the end of the constitutional term.

    According to the report, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will also take advice from his elder brother, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Nawaz Sharif in this matter.

    The first week of November 2023 is the suggested time for general elections, but the date will be finally decided after a summit of government and its allies

  • We cannot even take Malik Riaz’s name on TV: Khawaja Asif

    We cannot even take Malik Riaz’s name on TV: Khawaja Asif

    Defence Minister Khawaja Asif talked about tax evasion in the country on Wednesday and said that 500 billion tax evasion is taking place in the real estate sector.

    While giving a speech in the National Assembly, Asif said that from the real estate sector, people like Malik Riaz cannot even be named on television.

    He went on to say that Riaz is also involved in the £190 million case but we can not take his name.

    Former Prime (PM) minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi are being questioned by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for aiding Malik Riaz in the settlement of £190 million seized by the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency.
    Imran and Bushra Bibi are accused of receiving benefits from Malik Riaz by granting him the settlement of £190 million.

  • Imran removed Asim Munir from DG ISI post in 2019 when Bushra Bibi’s corruption got exposed, PM Shehbaz

    Imran removed Asim Munir from DG ISI post in 2019 when Bushra Bibi’s corruption got exposed, PM Shehbaz

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif, while addressing National Assembly (NA) on Monday, said that the then-PM Imran Khan transferred incumbent Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir from the post of Director-General (DG) Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in 2019 because he had told Imran that his wife Bushra Bibi was involved in corruption.

    “I say this with full responsibility that incumbent army chief Gen Asim Munir when he was DG ISI, told PM Imran, that his wife was involved in corruption”, Sharif said.

    “But obviously Imran got furious about it and did not like it. And the rest is history,” the premier added.

    “Today I would like to say that Imran Khan has betrayed the nation by sprouting a lie. This is the reason why the former DG ISI was transferred … it was because he confronted the then-PM that his family members were involved in corruption.”

    On May 21, Khan categorically termed “completely false” the rumours regarding him removing COAS Munir from the post of DG ISI in 2019 because the then-spymaster wanted to investigate corruption cases involving Bushra Bibi.

    The PTI chief’s denial on Twitter comes after a Telegraph report stated: “It was as ISI chief that he is reported to have first clashed with Mr Khan, who was then prime minister. Gen Munir is reported to have informed Mr Khan he wanted to investigate allegations of corruption around his wife and her circle. Then, in June 2019, he was removed from his post only eight months into what was meant to be a three-year term.”

    In a tweet, Imran said: “This is completely false. Neither did Gen Asim show me any proof of my wife’s corruption nor did I make him resign because of that.”

    In his speech in NA today, Shehbaz claimed that he was not aware of the arrest warrants issued by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for Khan.

    He also clarified that the rioters of the May 9 events will be tried under existing laws, asserting that “no new laws are being introduced”.

  • In groundbreaking move, National Assembly passes bill granting paid maternity leave

    In a historical move, yesterday the National Assembly passed the ‘Maternity and Paternity Leave Bill’ 2020, which has granted mothers the right to take up to six months paid maternity leave from their workplaces at their first birth, as well as leaves for three to four months during the birth of their second and third child as the bill states:

    “Maternity leave shall in the prescribed manner be granted on full pay outside the leave account to a female employee on her option to the extent of one hundred and eighty days on first birth, one hundred and twenty days on second birth, ninety days on third birth.”

    The bill also granted paternity leave for fathers, allowing men to take one month paid leaves from their work places on the birth of their child:

    “A male employee expecting his wife to give birth to a child shall , at his option, be granted paternity leave on full pay not exceeding thirty days.”

    The bill has been passed in federal territory, which means it will be made a legal priority for Islamabad workplaces to include paid paternity and maternity leave in their policies. But hopefully, this progressive step will soon encourage other cities to take note and follow to make inclusive policies that do not push women out of the workplace after their marriage.

    The bill was presented at the National Assembly by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Quratulain Marri, who praised her colleagues support to prioritise social issues, which helped in making this landmark legislation possible.

    Social media users have celebrated the legislation as a progressive step that will stop women from being forced to chose between motherhood and their jobs, and applauded Senator Marri for helping ensure this will happen.

  • What is bhambhal bhoochiyan? PM Shehbaz left us all confused

    What is bhambhal bhoochiyan? PM Shehbaz left us all confused

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif not only comprehensively won a vote of confidence on Thursday but also unwittingly gave us a lesson in language.

    While addressing the House, the premier used a word that left the internet scratching its head.

    “Woh kaam humein karny diye jaye, humein in bhambhal bhoochiyoon mei na uljhaya jaye,” he said.

    As soon as he used the expression, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique burst into laughter. PM Shehbaz turned around to look at the members seated closest to him. He asked if he pronounced the word correctly, to which they laughed and nodded.

    Former President Asif Ali Zardari can also be seen smiling up at Shehbaz Sharif from his chair.

    However, the exact meaning of the word eluded many. So we did some sleuthing on Twitter.

    According to one social media user ‘Bhambhal bhoochiyan‘ means putting someone in trouble or confusion.

    Another user suggested it may be the antonym of Bhool Bhulaiyaa. Another one said that it means leading someone on.

  • Pakistan set to receive cheap Russian oil, says PM Shehbaz

    During a National Assembly session on Thursday, Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, announced that the country is set to receive cheap oil from Russia.

    Minister of State for Petroleum, Musadik Malik, had previously confirmed that the government had made its first purchase of Russian crude oil, and a shipment is expected to arrive at Karachi port in May.

    Malik also revealed that the country aims to import 100,000 barrels of Russian crude oil per day, subject to the success of the first transaction.

    In the initial stages, Pakistan Refinery Limited will conduct a trial run to refine the crude oil, with other refineries, including Pak-Arab Refinery Limited, set to follow suit.

    This move marks a significant step forward for Pakistan’s oil industry, which has traditionally relied on imports from the Middle East.