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Tag: Parliament

  • نئے صوبوں کے قیام کے لیے ریفرنڈم پر غور، حکومت

    نئے صوبوں کے قیام کے لیے ریفرنڈم پر غور، حکومت

    حکومت نئے صوبوں کے قیام کی راہ ہموار کرنے کے لیے ریفرنڈم کرانے پر غور کر رہی ہے، کیونکہ آئینی ترمیم کے لیے درکار پارلیمانی حمایت حاصل کرنے میں مشکلات درپیش ہیں۔

    ذرائع کے مطابق حکومت کی قانونی ٹیم، جس میں وزارت قانون، وزارت پارلیمانی امور اور اٹارنی جنرل کے دفتر کے حکام شامل ہیں، ریفرنڈم کے انعقاد کے آئینی اور قانونی پہلوؤں کا جائزہ لے رہی ہے۔

    ذرائع نے بتایا کہ اس تجویز پر اس وقت غور کیا جا رہا ہے جب حکومت نئے صوبے قائم کرنے کی مجوزہ آئینی ترمیم کے لیے درکار سیاسی حمایت کی یقین دہانی حاصل کرنے میں ناکام رہی ہے۔

    ذرائع کے مطابق وزیراعظم شہباز شریف ریفرنڈم کے انعقاد کے لیے پارلیمنٹ سے اجازت لے سکتے ہیں، جبکہ پارلیمنٹ کے مشترکہ اجلاس کے ذریعے منظوری حاصل کرنا بھی زیر غور ہے۔

    ریفرنڈم کا معاملہ پارلیمنٹ میں لے جانے کی تجویز پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی اور پاکستان تحریک انصاف کی مجوزہ ترمیم کی حمایت سے ہچکچاہٹ کے بعد سامنے آئی ہے۔

    ذرائع کے مطابق تحریک انصاف اصولی طور پر نئے صوبوں کے قیام کی حمایت کرتی ہے، لیکن اس نے مجوزہ آئینی ترمیم کی حمایت کی آمادگی ظاہر نہیں کی ہے۔

    اس دوران حکومت ریفرنڈم کے انعقاد کی آئینی اور قانونی حیثیت پر وضاحت کے لیے عدالت سے رجوع کرنے پر بھی غور کر رہی ہے۔

    نئے صوبوں کے قیام کے لیے آئینی ترمیم درکار ہوگی، جس کے لیے پارلیمنٹ میں دو تہائی اکثریت چاہیے۔ ریفرنڈم کی طرف حکومت کا یہ مبینہ رجحان اس بات کی عکاسی کرتا ہے کہ اس وقت یہ اکثریت حاصل کرنا مشکل ہے۔

    پاکستان میں نئے صوبوں کا سوال برسوں سے زیر بحث ہے۔ حامیوں کا کہنا ہے کہ چھوٹے انتظامی یونٹ حکمرانی کو بہتر بنائیں گے اور حکومت کو عوام کے قریب لائیں گے، جبکہ ناقدین اس کے سیاسی اور انتظامی مضمرات پر خدشات ظاہر کرتے ہیں۔

    ریفرنڈم کی تجویز پر ابھی کوئی حتمی فیصلہ نہیں ہوا ہے۔ جاری قانونی جائزہ یہ طے کرے گا کہ یہ آپشن آئینی طور پر قابل عمل ہے یا نہیں اور اسے ووٹ کے لیے پیش کرنے کے لیے کیا طریقہ کار درکار ہوگا۔

  • Govt weighs referendum option for new provinces

    Govt weighs referendum option for new provinces

    The government is considering holding a referendum to pave the way for the creation of new provinces, amid challenges in securing the required parliamentary support for a constitutional amendment.

    According to sources, the government’s legal team, including officials from the Ministry of Law, the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and the Attorney General’s office, is examining the constitutional and legal aspects of conducting a referendum on the issue.

    Sources said the proposal is being considered after the government failed to secure an indication of the required political support for the proposed constitutional amendment to establish new provinces.

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif may seek Parliament’s authorisation to hold a referendum, while obtaining approval through a joint sitting of Parliament is also under consideration, according to sources.

    The proposal to take the matter to Parliament for a referendum has also emerged amid the reluctance of the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf to support the proposed amendment, sources said.

    According to sources, the PTI supports the creation of new provinces in principle but has not indicated its willingness to back the proposed constitutional amendment.

    Meanwhile, the government is also considering approaching the court to seek clarity on the constitutional and legal status of holding a referendum on the matter.

    Creating new provinces would require a constitutional amendment, which needs a two-thirds majority in Parliament. The government’s reported move towards a referendum reflects the difficulty of building that majority at present.

    The question of new provinces has been debated in Pakistan for years, with supporters arguing that smaller administrative units would improve governance and bring government closer to the people, while critics raise concerns about the political and administrative implications.

    No final decision has been announced on the referendum proposal. The legal examination now under way will determine whether the option is constitutionally workable and what process would be required to put it to a vote.

    Under the Constitution, creating a new province requires a constitutional amendment, which must be passed by a two-thirds majority in both the National Assembly and the Senate. A referendum would be an unusual route for such a change, which is why the government’s legal team is studying whether it can be used and what legal steps it would involve. No date has been announced for any referendum, and no question for voters has been made public so far.

  • Parliament to Decide on New Provinces Even if Referendum Held: Rana Sanaullah

    Parliament to Decide on New Provinces Even if Referendum Held: Rana Sanaullah

    Prime Minister’s Adviser Rana Sanaullah has said that parliament would have the final say on the creation of new provinces, even if a referendum was held on the issue, according to a Dunya News report published on Friday.

    Speaking to a private television channel, Sanaullah said the question of who would hold such a referendum also remained unresolved, adding that the process would have to be conducted by parliament.

    He said the issue had not yet been taken up by parliament. Once it was brought before the house, he said, a policy statement would be issued, followed by a debate on the matter.

    Sanaullah has made the same point in television appearances earlier in the week, telling Geo News that parliament was the appropriate forum to decide whether a referendum was necessary and what question would be put before voters. His remarks come after Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi called for a referendum on the creation of new provinces, a proposal linked in media reports to a possible 28th Constitutional Amendment.

    Meetings with Imran Khan

    Commenting on meetings with Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, Sanaullah said both of the former prime minister’s lawyers had met him, but their conduct in the coming days would determine whether further meetings could take place.

    He said the lawyers had spoken about political matters after their meeting, a development that could complicate arrangements for future meetings. The Islamabad High Court has directed Imran Khan’s lawyers to avoid political discussions after jail meetings, and the matter has been reported separately.

    Sanaullah said the PTI had announced a long march and that efforts had been made to persuade the party, with assurances given on various matters. He added that restrictions on meetings with Imran Khan had been imposed because the party was using them for political purposes.

    No constitutional amendment on new provinces has been tabled, and no referendum has been scheduled. The proposal remains at the discussion stage, with the government saying any decision would have to go through parliament.

  • ECP Sets Dec 31 Deadline for Lawmakers to Declare Assets

    ECP Sets Dec 31 Deadline for Lawmakers to Declare Assets

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has directed members of Parliament and provincial assembly lawmakers to submit their annual statements of assets and liabilities for the fiscal year 2025-26 by December 31, 2026.

    The direction was issued on Friday. Lawmakers who miss the initial deadline will have a final grace period until January 15, 2027, to file their declarations.

    The statements must declare all assets, possessions and liabilities held as of June 30, 2026. The declarations must also include details for the lawmakers’ spouses and dependent children, making the disclosure a full picture of the family’s holdings.

    The submissions must be filled out on Form B, the prescribed form for annual asset declarations by elected representatives.

    The Election Commission has said it will publish the names of all non-compliant lawmakers on January 1, 2027. Any member who fails to submit the declaration by the January 15 grace period will face immediate suspension of their assembly or Senate membership on January 16, and the suspension will remain in force until the statement is filed.

    Annual asset declarations are a long-standing legal requirement for elected representatives in Pakistan. The exercise is meant to keep a public record of what lawmakers own and owe, and to allow voters and institutions to track changes in their wealth while they hold public office.

    The December 31 deadline gives lawmakers the rest of the year to put their returns together, while the January 15 grace period offers a short window for late filers. The publication of names on January 1 is designed to make the process visible, and the suspension from January 16 is the penalty for those who still do not comply.

    Lawmakers who hold seats in the National Assembly, the Senate or a provincial assembly are all covered by the direction. The commission’s timetable leaves no room for open-ended delay: the names go public first, and membership is suspended next for anyone who remains in default.

    The commission’s announcement sets the calendar for the coming weeks: names published on January 1, the grace period running until January 15, and suspension from January 16. Lawmakers who file on time face no action, while those who do not will first be named publicly and then lose their membership until they comply.

  • سینیٹ: آبادی میں اضافے پر قومی ایکشن کا مطالبہ

    سینیٹ: آبادی میں اضافے پر قومی ایکشن کا مطالبہ

    اسلام آباد میں سینیٹ نے ملک میں تیزی سے بڑھتی ہوئی آبادی کے چیلنج سے نمٹنے کے لیے فوری اور مربوط قومی اقدام کا مطالبہ کرتے ہوئے ایک قرارداد منظور کر لی ہے۔ قرارداد میں کہا گیا ہے کہ آبادی میں اضافے کے مسئلے پر ایک جامع قومی ردعمل کی ضرورت ہے تاکہ عوامی خدمات اور سماجی و معاشی ترقی پر پڑنے والے دباؤ کا سامنا کیا جا سکے۔

    یہ قرارداد پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی کی نائب صدر سینیٹر شیری رحمان نے پیش کی۔ ایوان میں قرارداد کی منظوری کے موقع پر انہوں نے کہا کہ موجودہ شرح نمو برقرار رہی تو پاکستان کی آبادی 2050 تک تقریباً 390 ملین تک پہنچنے کا اندازہ ہے، جس سے قومی وسائل پر بے مثال دباؤ پڑے گا۔

    قرارداد میں زور دیا گیا ہے کہ آبادی میں اضافہ صرف ایک اعداد و شمار کا معاملہ نہیں بلکہ اس کے اثرات تعلیم، صحت، روزگار، رہائش اور بنیادی سہولتوں سمیت زندگی کے ہر شعبے پر مرتب ہوتے ہیں۔ اس لیے اس مسئلے سے نمٹنے کے لیے وفاق اور صوبوں کے درمیان ہم آہنگی اور ایک واضح قومی حکمت عملی ناگزیر ہے۔

    عوامی خدمات پر دباؤ

    قرارداد کے مطابق تیزی سے بڑھتی ہوئی آبادی کے باعث اسکولوں، اسپتالوں اور دیگر عوامی خدمات کی طلب میں مسلسل اضافہ ہو رہا ہے، جبکہ وسائل محدود ہیں۔ اگر بروقت منصوبہ بندی نہ کی گئی تو آنے والے برسوں میں یہ دباؤ مزید بڑھ سکتا ہے اور ترقیاتی اہداف کے حصول میں رکاوٹ بن سکتا ہے۔

    ایوان میں اس موقع پر اراکین نے اس بات پر بھی زور دیا کہ آبادی سے متعلق پالیسیاں بناتے وقت عوام کی فلاح، خاندانوں کی معاشی صورتحال اور نوجوانوں کے مستقبل کو مدنظر رکھنا ضروری ہے۔ قرارداد میں کہا گیا ہے کہ اس چیلنج کا سامنا مربوط انداز میں کیا جائے تاکہ ترقی کے ثمرات ہر شہری تک پہنچ سکیں۔

    جمعرات کے اجلاس میں سینیٹ میں انتخابی اصلاحات اور پارلیمانی اداروں کو مضبوط بنانے کے موضوع پر بھی بحث ہوئی۔ اراکین نے اس بات پر اتفاق کیا کہ جمہوری اداروں کی مضبوطی اور عوامی مسائل پر بامعنی بحث پارلیمان کی بنیادی ذمہ داری ہے۔

    قرارداد کی منظوری کے بعد اب توجہ اس بات پر ہوگی کہ حکومت اور متعلقہ ادارے آبادی کے چیلنج سے نمٹنے کے لیے کیا عملی اقدامات اٹھاتے ہیں۔ قرارداد میں قومی سطح پر ایک مربوط اور طویل مدتی حکمت عملی اپنانے کا مطالبہ کیا گیا ہے تاکہ آنے والی نسلوں کے لیے وسائل اور مواقع محفوظ رکھے جا سکیں۔

  • Senate Debates Legitimacy of KP Emergency Rule

    Senate Debates Legitimacy of KP Emergency Rule

    ISLAMABAD: Senators on Tuesday debated the legitimacy of the federal government’s decision to impose emergency rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with the opposition questioning the constitutionality of the move and the treasury defending it as a last resort against rising terrorism.

    The National Assembly, however, was adjourned after a brief sitting, in line with parliamentary convention requiring the first day’s proceedings to be confined to prayers following the death of a lawmaker earlier this month. The political crisis in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa nevertheless dominated the day.

    Speaking in the upper house, PTI parliamentary leader Barrister Ali Zafar said what was happening in the province was not merely an administrative decision but a test of Pakistan’s Constitution. “The Constitution must be our shield in a crisis, not a casualty of the crisis,” he said, adding that the question was whether the Constitution was being used to protect Pakistan or an emergency was being used to change the political order of the country.

    Mr Zafar said no political party or Pakistani wanted terrorism to flourish and that it must be defeated with full strength, but argued that the fight against terrorism should not become a fight against constitutional democracy. He said Article 232 was an emergency power and not a political weapon, and that Article 234’s extraordinary arrangements were meant for extraordinary circumstances. Their existence, he said, did not mean they could be exercised without limits.

    He warned that the move concerned provincial autonomy, federalism, elected representation, fundamental rights and the balance between the federation and its units, and called on the Senate to examine the legal grounds and scrutinise the necessity and proportionality of the decision.

    Government’s defence

    Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said the federal cabinet had “rightly decided” last week that the process of political reconciliation with the PTI was over, adding that the PPP and the PML-N had both made efforts to reach an understanding with the opposition party but had failed. He said Maulana Fazlur Rehman of the JUI-F had come to help break the deadlock, but by then “things had gone far beyond” repair.

    Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi claimed the Constitution had not been violated and that the government had acted strictly according to procedure, with the PML-N and the PPP examining every clause together to ensure no provision was violated.

    Mr Naqvi said the option of emergency or governor’s rule had existed even last November, but the government had exercised restraint. It had contacted the PTI leadership, including Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, on Oct 10, asking him to suggest amendments to paragraph four of the draft agreement. Six amendments were made, he said, and the draft was sent to the chief minister, who forwarded it to Murad Saeed, after which the matter was “sabotaged”.

    Opposition senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, a PTI ally, termed Oct 11 — when the emergency and governor’s rule were imposed — a “black day”, questioning why the emergency had been imposed only in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and urging the immediate withdrawal of the decision. In the National Assembly, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan was not permitted by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq to speak on the issue, and opposition members later protested outside the Parliament House.