The joint Opposition on Wednesday decided to challenge the government-backed bills that were passed in a joint Parliament sitting, refusing to accept the legislation, claiming the treasury benches were short of the required votes.
The government successfully passed amendments to the Elections Act, 2017, allowing use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and giving the right to vote to overseas Pakistanis.
The International Court of Justice (Review and Re-consideration) Bill, 2021 — which allows the right to review and reconsideration to Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav — was also passed in the Parliament.
'Opposition's votes counted were far few than actual numbers'
Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif, speaking to media outside Parliament, said legislation was bulldozed today and NA Speaker Asad Qaiser had "trampled" Parliamentary traditions.
"Legislation cannot take place in such an atmosphere [...] the Opposition's votes counted were far fewer than their actual numbers," the PML-N president said.
Shahbaz said the Opposition told the speaker that the government's votes were not enough to get the bills passed, but the speaker "did not listen to us".
"We believe three or four additional votes were counted in favour of the government," he said.
Bilawal says Opposition to challenge bills at every forum
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, meanwhile, said the Opposition would challenge the bills passed in the lower house, as the government "did not have enough votes" to get them passed.
"The NRO to Kulbhushan Yadav, election amendment bill, and all other bills will be challenged at every forum," Bilawal said, speaking to media outside Parliament.
"The government did not emerge victorious today in the parliament," Bilawal said.
'Government managed legislation'
JUI-F's Maulana Asad Mehmood slammed the NA speaker and said the manner in which parliamentary proceedings had been conducted was never witnessed before.
"The speaker did not give a chance to the Opposition to speak [...] the government 'managed' the legislation, and we will challenge it every forum," Maulana Mehmood said.
