ISLAMABAD (MNN); The federal government on Monday withdrew an ordinance after the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) alleged it had been promulgated without the approval of President Asif Ali Zardari, hours after the party staged a walkout from the National Assembly to protest the move.
Sources said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sent a summary advising President Zardari to withdraw the Special Economic Zones (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026. PPP leaders had earlier objected to the ordinance during the year’s first National Assembly session, though they initially did not name it publicly. Party sources later confirmed the objection was related to the SEZ ordinance.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said that government business was now conducted through an e-office system and claimed the ordinance had been approved through staff-level processing. However, he acknowledged that the document did not carry the president’s signature when it was received.
He termed it a procedural mistake that had now been rectified, adding that as a goodwill gesture the ordinance was not notified because it did not have presidential approval. Tarar said the president had ten days to give assent to legislation passed by a joint sitting of parliament and stressed that the PPP and PML-N shared cordial relations, which helped resolve the issue. Following the withdrawal, PPP leader Shazia Marri announced that her party would attend Tuesday’s assembly session.
Earlier, speaking on a point of order, PPP leader Naveed Qamar termed the situation a serious constitutional anomaly, alleging that an ordinance had been promulgated without the president’s approval for the first time in Pakistan’s history. He said legislation without presidential assent had no legal standing and announced a walkout until the matter was resolved.
Law Minister Tarar attempted to persuade PPP members to return, assuring them the matter would be reviewed. He said several bills and ordinances were pending presidential assent and that the government only learned on Sunday that President Zardari had approved some of them. He added that none of the disputed measures were notified out of respect for the president.
After PPP MNA Hussain Tariq briefly returned to point out a lack of quorum, the National Assembly proceedings were suspended and later adjourned until 11am on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq initiated the process for appointing a new leader of the opposition, a post vacant since August 2025 following the disqualification of PTI’s Omar Ayub. The speaker said he could now proceed as related court cases had been withdrawn.
He invited opposition members to submit nomination proposals by Tuesday afternoon in line with assembly rules, adding that the MNA with the highest number of supporting signatures would be declared opposition leader. Opposition leaders reiterated that Mahmood Khan Achakzai was their unanimous choice and assured the speaker they would complete the formal process.
