- The government and opposition jointly pass Fata reforms bill
Eight days before the end of its tenure of the National Assembly passed the 31st Amendment bill approving FATA’s merger in KP. As the bill required a number of constitutional amendments, it could be passed only with a vote of 228 members. While the opposition came in full force, it took the government more than an hour before it could muster the required number of PML-N MNAs. The bill was passed by 229 votes. Among the votes cast against it was one from a PTI MNA and that too despite the presence of Imran Khan in the House. Sometime back the government appeared double-minded on account of opposition from two of it staunchest allies but it felt encouraged by the support given to the merger by the NSC and went the whole hog for the passage of the bill.
One of the nightmares for the government was to gather the required two thirds majority to pass the constitutional amendments. The record of the attendance of PML-N MNAs in the NA during the last five years has been dismal, leading frequently to a lack of quorum. The government had managed to pass the federal budget by no more than a simple majority. It passed the test posed by the constitutional amendments by the skin of its teeth as the FATA merger bill received just one vote more than the minimum needed. While the PML-N lacked full attendance, the opposition was present in the House in strength. The JUI-F which opposed the merger calling it a part of a foreign agenda and the PKMAP which considered it against the will of the Fata people staged a walk out. The wild card MQM finally voted for merger despite ‘principled opposition’ to it, for the sake of political unity
The bill will have to be passed by the Senate today before it can become a law. To implement it urgently, the KP assembly has to approve it with a two-thirds vote before the expiry of its term on May 28. An over-confident CM Khattak has promised to get it through on time. The claim will be tested within the next few days.