ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Senate on Friday passed amendments in the Elections Act 2017 concerning status of Ahmadis, Quadianis and Lahori groups and declaration forms.
The bills were already passed by the National Assembly on Thursday.
During the session of the Senate, the Minister for Law and Justice Zahid Hamid moved the two bills to further amend the Elections Act 2017.
The law minister told the House that the amendments would define status of non-Muslims including Ahmadi, Qadiani and Lahori group and would not include them in the joint electoral lists as Muslims. The amendments would change forms of oaths of the candidates and the voters.
Zahid Hamid clarified that the law on Finality of Prophethood (PBUH) was already passed by the Parliament and any changes made in the past, were taken back.
Senator Professor Ghafoor Haideri congratulated the house on the approval of the bills.
Ghafoor Haideri said the issue of finality of Prophethood (PBUH) was clearly described in Quran and by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) on numerous occasions.
The Leader of the Opposition Senator Aitzaz Ahsan raised the issue of closure of Faizabad for the last many days and said it was a very wrong tradition to close sections of the capital.
Aitzaz Ahsan said he had warned in the past that the precedent of besieging Parliament was wrong and nobody should force a sitting government for achieving objectives of its choice.
While lauding the passage of bills, the Leader of the House Senator Raja Zafarul Haq said misuse of laws could only be stopped by Parliament through better legislation.
Earlier, the Chairman Senate announced a panel of Senators including Senator Tahir Mashhadi, Senator Nuzhat Sadiq and Senator Ahmed Hassan for presiding over the session.
The Chairman Senate refused adjournment motions moved by Senator Mian Muhammad Ateeq Shaikh, Senator Tahir Mashhadi, Senator Karim Ahmad Khawaja, Senator Saeedul Hassan Mandokhail, Senator Shahi Syed, Senator Mir Israrullah Khan Zehri and Senator Mohsin Aziz on the latest political situation, climate change and loans to be paid by Pakistan.
Earlier, the House offered Fateha for those who lost lives in different incidents of violence in Balochistan and along the border with Afghanistan.
Source: APP
