ISLAMABAD: National Assembly approved Election Amendment Bill 2023 restraining period of disqualification of Parliament to maximum five years and removing bar from running for public office again. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar tabled amendments bill and House unanimously approved Section 57 of Election Act 2017. Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf presented bill for voting which was passed with majority. Amendment provided that term of punishment for crime where term is not specified in Constitution, disqualification will not exceed five years.

“A person convicted under judgment, order or decree of Supreme Court, High Court or any other court will be disqualified for five years from date of announcement of judgment.”

Amendment will benefit Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo Nawaz Sharif and Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party Chief Jahangir Khan Tareen.

Supreme Court had disqualified both senior politicians in June and December 2017, respectively after they were found to be “Dishonest” under Article 62(1)(f) of Constitution.

Amendment also empowered Election Commission of Pakistan to announce poll dates unilaterally, new schedule for general elections and modify election programme.

Proposed amendment in Section 57(1) suggested that Commission shall announce “Date or dates of general elections by notification in official gazette and shall call upon constituencies to elect their representatives.”