The National Assembly (NA) on Wednesday passed the Elections Amendment Bill, 2026 besides referring bills relating to education and constitution to the standing committees, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Fatima University for Science and Technology Bill, 2026 was presented in the House as passed by the Senate for approval. The bill was tabled by MNA Natasha Doltana.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) MNA Alia Kamran suggested that the bill be sent to a standing committee.
The House passed the Election Act Amendment Bill by a majority. The bill was presented by PPP’s Shazia Marri, while Federal Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar endorsed the bill.
However, PTI’s Barrister Gohar opposed the bill.
The bill stated that the declaration of assets of members of the parliament (MPs) and their families would be subject to an approval by the NA speaker or the Senate chairman.
The bill proposed an amendment to section 138 of the Election Act, 2017. It said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) would be bound to publish in the official gazette assets and liabilities of the lawmakers.
The bill further said that the reference against an MNA found guilty of floor crossing would be sent to the Federal Constitutional Court, and not the Supreme Court.
Objecting to the legislation, Barrister Gohar said that sending the matter to the federal constitutional court (FCC) would lead to disputes.
Criminal Law Amendment Bill, 2026 was also presented in the assembly. MNA Mirza Ikhtiar Beg presented the bill.
Similarly, Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2026 was also tabled. It was sent to a standing committee for deliberations.
Food safety is provincial subject: Minister
Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain told the National Assembly that poultry prices, food safety enforcement and market price control fall under provincial jurisdiction following the 18th Constitutional Amendment.
Responding to questions in the House, the minister said food safety and inspection mechanisms were the responsibility of provincial food authorities established in all provinces.
He said Punjab was the first province to set up a food safety authority, which now regularly inspects restaurants, meat shops and other food outlets.
On the issue of poultry prices, Rana Tanveer Hussain said price control was a devolved subject and lay entirely with the provinces. “The federal government does not fix prices,” he said, advising lawmakers to take price-related issues to their respective provincial governments.
He added that provincial administrations, including Punjab, intervened in markets when necessary.
The minister said the government was working to expand Pakistan’s meat export potential by addressing animal health challenges, particularly foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).
He said 15 FMD-free zones had been established in Punjab and were expected to become fully compliant within three years, which would help improve access to international markets.
He informed the House that a Rs7.3 billion project had been approved under the Public Sector Development Programme to strengthen disease surveillance, sequencing and treatment of livestock diseases, including FMD and poultry-related illnesses.
The project, he said, would also help improve local meat supply, noting that around 45 per cent of meat production was consumed domestically.
Referring to trade disruptions caused by border closures with Afghanistan, Rana Tanveer Hussain said alternative routes had been explored to sustain exports of key agricultural products.
He said exports of kinnow and potatoes had been affected, but shipments worth around $5 million had been made through alternative routes, including via Iran.
He said he was not aware of any major poultry exports being affected by the Afghan border situation, adding that exporters of other agricultural products had raised concerns which were subsequently addressed.
Highlighting the government’s export-oriented economic strategy, the minister said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had emphasised the need to boost exports for sustainable economic growth.
“While remittances have reached around $40bn, long-term stability can only be achieved through an export-based economy,” he said.
He added that export performance across sectors, including rice, kinnow and maize, was being closely monitored and that the government intervened whenever delays or declines were reported.
Referring to recent issues faced by rice exporters, he said a committee had been formed to address the matter and corrective steps had since been approved.
He said the impact of these measures was expected to become evident in the coming two months, with exports likely to surpass last year’s figures.
Earlier, the National Assembly offered Fateha for the late brothers of MNA Muhammad Tufail and Raja Nadir Pervaiz.
The prayer was led by Maulana Misbah Uddin. Meanwhile, the students and faculty members of International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) witnessed the proceedings of the lower house of the Parliament.
Reporter: Usman Khan