ISLAMABAD, JAN 24 (DNA): The government successfully passed four bills during Friday’s joint session of parliament, despite a ruckus created by opposition lawmakers from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
PTI members entered the house holding placards and chanted slogans such as “PECA Act unacceptable” and “oppression of journalists unacceptable.”
Journalists, protesting against yesterday’s amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016, wore black armbands while covering the session.
Opposition Leader Omar Ayub’s request to speak on a point of order was rejected by NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, prompting opposition lawmakers to stand on their seats, shout slogans, and tear up copies of the legislative agenda.
Despite the uproar, the government managed to pass four bills — Trade Organisations (Amendment) Bill 2021, Imports and Exports Regulatory (Amendment) Bill 2023, National Institute of Technology Bill 2024, National Excellence Institute Bill 2024.
However, four other bills — National Commission for Human Development (Amendment) Bill 2023, NFC Institute of Engineering and Technology Multan (Amendment) Bill 2023, National Skills University Islamabad (Amendment) Bill 2023, Federal Urdu University for Arts, Science, and Technology Islamabad (Amendment) Bill 2023 — were deferred.
The session lasted 18 minutes. Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari arrived at the parliament after the session had ended.
The lower house of parliament has been witnessing turbulent proceedings for some time as the lawmakers on the opposition benches continue to cause commotion with slogans and protests.
The opposition parties staged a walkout during the previous National Assembly session before the government passed the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act, 2025, which drew severe criticism from journalist bodies over the changes to the law.
: The government successfully passed four bills during Friday’s joint session of parliament, despite a ruckus created){kind=link}