Parliament joint session approves electoral, NAB bills after president refuses assent

The joint session of parliament on Thursday approved amendments to accountability and electoral laws after President Arif Alvi returned them to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for “reconsideration”. The president, who belongs to the PTI, returned the National Accountability (Second Amendment) Bill 2021 And Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2022, observing that Article 46 of the Constitution had been violated as he was not informed about bringing these legislations to parliament. Speaking on the floor of parliament, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Javed Abbasi rejected the president’s observations and objections by terming them baseless. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the legislation is the sole prerogative of parliament and the president cannot dictate the legislature. Last month, the Senate and National Assembly passed two significant bills – the Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2022 and the National Accountability (Second Amendment) Bill 2021. Also read: Govt plans to 'dodge' president for approval of Elections Amendment Bill The accountability legislation aimed at preventing misuse of law for political engineering and victimisation of opponents. The electoral amendments seek to remove the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and effectively disallowing overseas Pakistanis from voting in the next general polls. The legislation aims to conduct pilot projects in local by-elections before using i-voting and EVMs in the next general elections. The law minister, while tabling the bill, rejected the observations and objections, except that the NAB chairman may declare any place as a sub-jail. The bill proposed that the NAB ordinance will not be applicable to all matters pertaining to federal, provincial or local taxations, decisions of the federal or provincial cabinet and constitutional bodies, as well as procedural lapses in the performance of any public or government work. Also read: NA amends election laws to stop EVMs use It states that the chairman and deputy chairman of the anti-corruption watchdog will be appointed by the federal government. The NAB chairman will be appointed by the government after consultation between the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly. The joint sitting of parliament also offered Fateha for the departed soul of Aamir Liaquat Hussain. Later, the speaker adjourned the joint sitting of parliament till July 20. (With additional input from Radio Pakistan)

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