ISLAMABAD: Reforms bill for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata)has been tabled in the Parliament.

The National Assembly is currently voting on the bill which was presentedby Law Minister Chaudhry Mahmood Bashir Virk. A total of 229 members werein support of the resolution to table the 31st Amendment Bill 2017 while 11opposed it.

Those in favour of include Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P),Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), PTI, Jamat-e-Islami and the ruling PakistanMuslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). Lawmakers from the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl(JUI-F) and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) opposing the bill, stageda walkout from the session.

The 56th session of the Parliament was attended by Prime Minister ShahidKhaqan Abbasi and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan – who, ina surprise move, also marked his attendance to vote for the merger of Fatawith K-P.

Where the government lacked attendance, the opposition was in fullstrength. Despite JUI-F MNA Maulna Jamaluddin pointing out quorum, thehouse remained in order. Leader of the Opposition Khurshid Shah toldSpeaker Ayaz Sadiq that history will remember that for the first timeopposition maintained the order of the house.

Earlier in the session, Shah highlighted that the government’s seriousnesswas depicted by the absence of the majority of its parliamentarians. Heasked for the bill to be tabled if the numbers were complete. “The billcould have been passed if the cabinet members had shown,” noted Shah.