The federal government decides that the proposed amendments will be presented to Parliament in the form of a bill
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif announces 150 buses for Karachi. PHOTO: EXPRESS
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has sent a summary to the President advising withdrawal of the Special Economic Zones (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026, invoking Article 89(2)(b) of the Constitution, it was learned on Monday.
The decision was made after it emerged that the order had been issued despite the absence of the president’s official signature.
According to sources, the Prime Minister signed the summary recommending withdrawal of the order.
The development follows objections raised by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), which had staged a walkout from the National Assembly session when the ordinance was promulgated.
With the withdrawal now underway, the federal government has decided that the proposed amendments will be presented to Parliament in the form of a bill.
Justice Ministry sources said six bills and one ordinance had already been sent to the presidency through the e-Office system, under which summaries and files are approved electronically.
The Presidency, through the same system, gave its collective approval to the bills and the ordinance, following which the ordinance was promulgated.
However, when the files were returned by the Presidency, it was found that the Special Economic Zones (Amendment) Ordinance did not bear the signature of the President. Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar explained that the approval process took place through e-Office, where files are processed online.
He said the order was also approved through that system and was treated as approved on a staff-to-staff basis.
However, when the signed records were subsequently received, it became clear that the order had not been signed by the President, even though it had already been printed and notified.
Tarar said this was an error, which was later corrected.
