MM News

ISLAMABAD: The government is expected to summon its long-overdue joint session of parliament next week to push forward its electoral reforms bills.

Sources said the government has reached an agreement with its allies including the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) and Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) who have expressed reservations about not being informed about the government’s decisions. The beleaguered government has made another attempt to persuade allies for the passage of the Elections (Second Amendment) Bill, 2021.

Sources said the government is now holding talks with its allies as well to back its electoral reforms. The ruling party has asked its lawmakers in both houses to gear up for the upcoming session. According to reports, the joint session of parliament is likely to be called on Tuesday, November 16, sources revealed.

Earlier this week, the government put off Thursday’s joint session of parliament within 24 hours of its summoning due to a lack of required numbers of its lawmakers and reservations relayed by its own allies.

The decision was met with severe criticism from the opposition who alleged that the government was “trifling” with the parliament’s businesses and deciding on important sittings on “whims”.

The opposition parties, who are scrambling to formulate a joint strategy against the government inside the parliament, have also urged their lawmakers to keep vigilant in case any urgent session of the parliament is called.

According to sources, parliamentarians from all major opposition parties, including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) have been directed to stay in Islamabad.

As for those who are currently out of town, the opposition has advised them to return as soon as possible. The opposition has taken this step in view to foil the government’s “covert” attempts to get its agenda taken up in the absence of strong opposition.