ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Imran Khan turned up in the National Assembly on Monday ahead of voting on the 26th Constitutional Amendment Bill, seeking an increase in the number of seats for the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) in the National Assembly and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.
The premier arrived at his chamber in the National Assembly ahead of a vote on the crucial bill; former finance minister Asad Umar is also attending the session.
Addressing the House, the premier appreciated arriving at a consensus between all parties on recommendations for the bill.
The prime minister noted that the economic situation was bad and their [provinces’] funds were not at the level that they should be.
He, however, highlighted that sharing funds with ex-Fata was necessary owing to the destruction suffered by the area.
The premier also quoted the Fall of Dhaka and said a sense of deprivation prevailed among the public saying, we should learn a lesson from the incident.
“No one should feel that Pakistan does not own them, that they do not have a stake in Pakistan,” the prime minister asserted referring to Fata.
NA Approves Bill
The National Assembly approved the amendment bill with 278 votes; no lawmaker opposed the bill.
During the session on Friday, a consensus was reached between the treasury and opposition benches on passing the bill crucial to giving long-sought rights to the people of ex-Fata.
Introduced by lawmaker Mohsin Dawar on Thursday, the bill had failed to sail through the lower chamber of parliament when the opposition refused to vote without having a thorough debate on it; to pass the bill a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly is required.
If the bill is passed, ex-Fata districts would have 12 seats in the National Assembly which were reduced to six after the merger of Fata into Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa last year, while their share in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa assembly would stand at 24.
Speaking on the floor of the House, former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi called for free and fair elections for the people of Fata.
He expressed displeasure over tabling the bill regarding the south-Punjab province at a time when the House was set to vote on bill related to Fata.
‘The House was unanimous in granting rights to Fata,’ Abbasi said and added that it was impossible without fiscal management.
