ISLAMABAD: The Senate Tuesday unanimously passed the Election (Amendment) Bill, 2017 restoring Khatam-i-Nabuwat declaration to its original form.

The bill, which was moved by Minister for Law and Justice Zahid Hamid, is aimed at amending the Election Act, 2017, restoring the clause of the previous law regarding the Finality of the Prophethood (Khatam-i-Nabuwat). The bill has already been passed by the National Assembly.

Speaking on the occasion, Zahid Hamid thanked political parties for helping rectify the mistakes in the Election Act, 2017. He said the declaration in the nomination papers had been restored to its original form through the amendment in the Act.

He said nobody could even think of changing the provision regarding the Finality of the Prophethood.

The bill's statement of objects and reasons states: " Subsequent to the enactment of

Election Act, 2017 misgivings have been expressed in the National Assembly and also reported in the media regarding the wording of the declarations by the candidate in the nomination form (Form A)attached with the Act.

"To avoid further controversy, there is consensus amongst the political parties in the

National Assembly that the original text of Declaration and Oath by the Person Nominated included in original Form A, should be restored in toto.

"Misgivings have also been expressed regarding the omission of Articles 7B and 7C consequent upon the repeal of the Conduct of General Elections Order 2002 (Chief Executive?s Order No 7 of 2002. Again to avoid further controversy, there is consensus amongst the political parties that the provisions of Article 7B and 7V ibid be retrained through amendment in Section 241 of the Election Act, 2017."—APP