National Assembly Opposition leader and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader, Omar Ayub has berated the newly enacted Election Amendment Act, labelling this government's cowardly move to roadblock PTI way to success. Talking to the media outside anti-terrorism court where he appeared for hearing of a case, the PTI general secretary regarded the act as contradictory to the constitution and law and announced to challenge this act at every forum. Omar Ayub also cleared the air about negotiations of PTI, he stated, “We are not creating dialogue with anyone.” He demanded fresh election and return of his party's stolen mandate, as Pakistan needed a new election. The PTI leader also regarded the budget, anti-people and claimed that this budget would exacerbate inflation. Giving his remarks on the current situation of Bangladesh, where PM Hasina Wajid fled to India after student’s protests, “Where will Shehbaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz escape? Hasina Wajid fled to India but they (incumbent government) will not be rescued by helicopter.” PTI stalwart and opposition leader in the Upper House Shibli Faraz said that the Election Act Amendment Bill 2024 was an attack on the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Advisor Barrister Saif said on Wednesday that the government was trying to drive a wedge between institutions by amending the Election Act. The Senate on Tuesday passed the Election Act Amendment Bill by a majority vote despite protest by the opposition PTI. As the session started with Yousuf Raza Gilani in the chair, Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Talal Chaudhry presented the Election Act Amendment Bill. The amendment provides that “a candidate who does not submit the party certificate before obtaining the election symbol will be considered an independent candidate. If the list of candidates for reserved seats is not submitted within the specified period, no political party will be entitled to those seats.” It also provides that any candidate's declaration of affiliation to a political party will be irrevocable. Earlier, the National Assembly passed the Election Act Amendment Bill by a majority vote amid an uproar by the opposition. As the session started with Speaker Ayaz Sadiq in the chair, PML-N MNA Bilal Azhar Kayani and Zeb Jaffar tabled the Election Act Amendment Bill.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan