Second parliamentary year: 16th NA session passes 46 bills, adopts 27 resolutions

ISLAMABAD: The 16th National Assembly of Pakistan passed a total of 46 bills and adopted 27 resolutions during its second parliamentary year.

During the second parliamentary year, a total of 59 government bills were introduced, 14 were transmitted from the Senate, and 46 were passed by the House. Additionally, 48 private members’ bills were introduced, 38 were received from the Senate, and 13 were passed. As a result, 40 government bills and six private members’ bills were enacted into law, bringing the total number of Acts passed during the year to 46. The House also adopted 27 resolutions addressing matters of national importance.

Key legislative milestones included the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill, the Digital Nation Pakistan Act, 2025, aimed at regulating cybersecurity and strengthening digital infrastructure; amendments to the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act and the Prevention of Smuggling of Migrants Act, 2025, to enhance national security; the National Commission on the Status of Women (Amendment) Act, 2025; and the National Forensics Agency Act, 2024.

The National Assembly held 11 sessions, including three joint sittings, completing 130 working days and 87 actual sitting days, with a cumulative duration of 237 hours and 36 minutes. In the exercise of its constitutional oversight mandate, the Assembly admitted 7,625 questions, of which 1,710 were answered by the concerned ministries. A total of 329 Calling Attention Notices were received, with 49 discussed on the floor of the House. Fifteen Adjournment Motions were submitted, of which 13 were disallowed. Furthermore, 33 Questions of Privilege were raised; six were referred to the relevant Standing Committee, eighteen remain under process, six were disallowed, and two were withdrawn. In addition, 263 Motions under Rule 259 were received, with four included in the Orders of the Day and three discussed.

During the Budget Session for the Financial Year 2025–26, the Annual Budget was passed following comprehensive debate and incorporation of amendments proposed by Members in the Finance Bill. Notably, for the first time in parliamentary history, the Budget Bill 2025–26 was referred to the Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue, comprising members from both the National Assembly and the Senate, which actively reviewed the federal budget.

Key parliamentary forums, including the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus, the Parliamentary Caucus on Child Rights, the Young Parliamentarians Forum, and the Parliamentary Task Force on Sustainable Development Goals, were revitalized to promote inclusive and participatory governance. These forums organized policy dialogues, legislative workshops, public consultations, and international engagements. The establishment of provincial caucuses further expanded grassroots participation and strengthened coordination between federal and provincial stakeholders.

Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq also actively advanced parliamentary diplomacy during the second parliamentary year. He participated in the Pro-Palestine Parliamentary Conference in Türkiye, undertook official visits to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Azerbaijan, attended the 6th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament and the 151st Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Geneva, led a parliamentary delegation to the Kingdom of Bahrain, and hosted the Third Trilateral Speakers’ Conference in Islamabad. Through engagements with parliamentary counterparts across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas, he further strengthened bilateral and multilateral cooperation and enhanced Pakistan’s parliamentary outreach.

To promote greater youth engagement in democratic processes, the Youth Internship Programme, initiated in 2014, continued to provide young individuals with hands-on exposure to parliamentary procedures and legislative work. During the second parliamentary year, over 20,000 youth applied for 400 internship opportunities, demonstrating heightened youth interest and engagement in parliamentary affairs. Additionally, the official social media platforms of the National Assembly were reactivated to enhance public access to parliamentary activities and information. The introduction of live streaming of proceedings through NA TV further strengthened transparency, accessibility, and public participation in parliamentary processes.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026