Senate passes Khatam-e-Nabuwat bill

ISLAMABAD: The Senate on  Friday passed amendments in the Elections Act, 2017 concerning status of Ahmadis, Quadianis and Lahori groups and declaration forms.

The bills were passed by the National Assembly on Thursday.

During the session of the Senate, Minister for Law and Justice Zahid Hamid moved the two bills to further amend the Elections Act, 2017. 

He told the house that the amendments would define status of non-Muslims including Ahmadi, Qadiani and Lahori group and would not include them in the joint electoral lists as Muslims.

The amendments would change forms of oaths of the candidates and the voters.

He clarified that the law on Finality of Prophethood (PBUH) was already passed by the Parliament and any changes made in the past, were taken back.

Senator Prof Ghafoor Haideri congratulated the house on the approval of the bills.

He said the issue of finality of Prophethood (PBUH) was clearly described in the Quran and by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) on numerous occasions.

Leader of the Opposition Senator Aitzaz Ahsan raised the issue of closure of Faizabad for the last many days and said it was a very wrong tradition to close sections of the capital.

He said he had warned in the past that the precedent of besieging Parliament was wrong and nobody should force a sitting government for achieving objectives of its choice.

While lauding the passage of bills, Leader of the House Senator Raja Zafarul Haq said misuse of laws could only be stopped by Parliament through better legislation.