ISLAMABAD – Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, who is currently acting as President of Pakistan in the absence of President Arif Alvi, approved the Elections (Amendment) Bill 2023 on Monday.
President Arif Alvi left for Saudi Arabia on Sunday along with his family and staff to perform Hajj.
As soon as the acting president signed the summary sent by the prime minister, the bill became an act of parliament.
A day earlier, the National Assembly had passed the bill seeking an amendment to the Elections Act 2017 aimed at limiting the disqualification of lawmakers to five years with a retrospective effect. It also aims to empower the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to decide election dates unilaterally, without consulting the president.
The Senate of Pakistan had passed this bill sometime ago.
This is worth mentioning here that passage of this bill will pave the way for participation of PML-N patron Nawaz Sharif and Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) chief Jahangir Khan Tareen in the next general elections.
Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani assumes charge as acting president
