The National Assembly passed several important bills, including the Pakistan Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2025, the Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, and the National Archives (Amendment) Bill, before adjourning the sitting until 11am on Thursday.
During the sitting, the House carried out significant legislative business. The Pakistan Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2025 was passed by majority vote. The bill seeks to further clarify and regularise legal procedures relating to citizenship.
The amendment provides a legal framework for the registration of birth and the procedure for acquiring citizenship. It offers guidance for the disposal of pending applications and cases, and allows for the application of a new procedure to matters under consideration before courts. A proposal to remove ambiguity in the interpretation of the term “parents” and in the determination of citizenship is also included. Under the amendment, identity documents will record “parents” instead of “father”.
The House also passed the Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill by majority vote. In the light of a judicial ruling, the bill provides that the federal cabinet shall collectively make policy and financial decisions only, while administrative powers are to be transferred to the relevant authority. The bill to prevent the misuse of Pakistan’s name and emblems was likewise approved.
The National Assembly further passed the National Archives (Amendment) Bill 2026 by majority vote and approved the New Pakistan Housing and Development Authority (Amendment) Bill. The bill notes that repeated submission of minor and non-policy matters to the cabinet has caused unnecessary burden and administrative delay. It states that the federal cabinet should focus on national policy and strategic matters, while administrative powers should rest with the concerned authority rather than the cabinet.
Amendments have been proposed in the light of the Supreme Court’s Mustafa Impex judgment to ensure proper distribution of powers. The House also approved the inclusion of the words “Prime Minister” in place of “Federal Government” in the Act. The sitting was later adjourned until 11am on Thursday.
