ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: A day after the National Assembly passed the landmark FATA-KP Merger Bill, the Senate on Friday also passed the 32st Constitution Amendment Bill 2018 with two thirds majority paving the way for merger of Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA) with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The bill was moved in the Upper House by the Law Minister Chaudhry Mahmood Bashir Virk.
The 32st Constitution Amendment Bill 2018 received 71 votes in its favour while five Senators voted against it.
Following the approval of the 31st Constitutional amendment bill from the Parliament, 12 seats of FATA will be finished from the National Assembly and the total seats of the Lower House will become 336.
The seats of Punjab will be decreased from 174 to 173 whereas the seats of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will increase from 48 to 55. Likewise, number of seats from Balochistan will be 20, from Sindh 75 and from Islamabad three.
In his remarks on the occasion, the Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani congratulated the tribal people over the passage of the bill, saying it would bring them to the national mainstream. He said the Upper House today fulfilled its responsibility and the promises made with the tribal people.
The Leader of the Opposition Sherry Rehman described the Constitutional amendment on FATA’s merger as a historic step in the Country’s history. She said it would bring the tribal areas to the fold of constitution.
Sherry Rehman pointed out that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly had a very important role in the whole transition process. She expressed the confidence that women from tribal areas would also be involved in the decision making.
