ISLAMABAD, May 25: The Senate approved on Friday the constitutional amendment bill on the merger of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
During the session, 71 lawmakers voted in favour of nine clauses of the constitutional amendment bill while five were against them.
Besides, 28 lawmakers were absent from the House during the session.
The bill titled Thirty-First Amendment Act, 2018 was presented by Minister for Law and Justice Chaudhry Mahmood Bashir Virk, while the session is being headed by Senate Chairperson Sadiq Sanjrani.
The National Assembly on Thursday passed the constitutional amendment bill with over two- thirds majority paving the way for the merger.
Two hundred and twenty-nine members parliamentarians voted in favour of the constitution amendment while one voted against it. The bill was opposed by government-allied parties Jamiat-e-ulema-Islam (JUI-F) and Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP).
The amendment will bring an end to colonial-era laws governing the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), extending the writ of Pakistani courts to its districts and increasing development assistance to its residents.
Moreover, the KP assembly has summoned a session at 2pm on Sunday to mull over merger strategy. However, JUI-F have announced to surround the provincial assembly to protest passage of bill. – Agencies
