NA restores Khatm-i-Naboowat Clause in Election Bill 2017

NA restores Khatm-i-Naboowat Clause in Election Bill 2017

Islamabad (Staff Report): The National Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed amendments to the Election Bill 2017, restoring a Khatm-i-Naboowat Clause – the finality of the prophethood of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) in its original form.

Federal Law Minister Zahid Hamid presented the bill in the House after the lawmakers on Tuesday had highlighted the change in Form-A, which is submitted by the candidates along with nomination papers for election. After the amendment, it was become a declaration form instead of an affidavit.

On Wednesday, Addressing a press conference outside the Lower House of the parliament, speaker Ayyaz Sadiq said that after acknowledgement of a mistake, there was nothing wrong in amending it.

He confirmed that a technical or clerical mistake led to the amendment but hastened to add that now after the meeting of parliamentary leader, the issue would be resolved soon.

On the occasion, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi expressed that the issue was sensitive and when opposition highlighted it, it caused an uproar across the country.