The joint session of Parliament convened on Wednesday as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led (PTI) government looks to legislate more than two dozen crucial bills, including the one on electoral reforms.

As many as 56 points on the agenda including bills relating to Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the right to vote for overseas Pakistanis, and others would be presented during the joint session of the Parliament.

Last week, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry had announced that the joint sitting scheduled for November 11, had been postponed, saying that National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser was again asked to get in touch with the opposition so that a bill on electoral reforms could be introduced.

Passage of controversial bills: Joint sitting of parliament today

"We hope that the opposition will seriously consider these crucial reforms so that we can come up with a strategy for the country's future," he said, adding that the government will not back down from poll reforms until this happens.

MQM-P to support govt on electoral reforms

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) has decided to support the government on the EVM bill. On Tuesday, a delegation of MQM-P called on Prime Minister Imran Khan and discussed matters of mutual interest and legislations relating to the joint sitting of the Parliament.

The delegation consisting of Aminul Haq and Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui discussed bills being tabled during the upcoming joint session of the Parliament.

Shehbaz Sharif, opposition parties discuss next step

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif telephoned several leaders of the opposition parties on Tuesday and discussed what to do next and how to block the government’s plans of legislation in the joint sitting.

According to sources, Shehbaz telephoned Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Qaumi Wattan Party (QWP) Chief Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, Balochistan National Party (BNP-Mengal) Chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal, Awami National Party (ANP) central leader Amir Haider Khan Hoti, Chief of National Party Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, Mohsin Dawar, and Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Sirajul Haq.

This article first appeared in Business Recorder on Nov 17 2021

The opposition leader expressed his appreciation over the united efforts of the Opposition in Parliament and thanked them for their cooperation.