The National Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed the Elections (Amendment) Bill 2017 aimed at restoring the word “Oath” instead of “Declaration” in the nomination paper about finality of Prophethood (Khatm-e-Nabuwat) as mentioned in the Elections Bill 2017.
Minister for Law and Justice Zahid Hamid moved the bill in the House which appeared as supplementary agenda and was passed by the House unanimously.
He said that this bill was result of hard work of three years by all the Parliamentary Parties in the House. The report of Parliamentary Committee was presented in the House but no one raised the issue.
The minister said that there has been consensus among all political parties to replace word `declaration’ with `oath’ in the Elections Bill 2017.
Following the unanimous views of all of us, he said the amendments have been proposed including the restoration of the clauses 7-B and 7-C about status of Ahmedis as mentioned in the Chief Executive Order of Conduct of General Elections 2002.
The minister said, “We cannot think to bring any amendment in clause regarding Prophethood and strongly believe in finality of Prophethood (Khatm-e-Nabuwat).”
The amendment suggests for replacing the word `Declaration’ with `oath’ on the nomination papers read as “I believe in the absolute and unqualified finality of the Prophethood of Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), the last of the Prophets and that I am not follower of anyone who claims to be a Prophet in any sense of the world or of any description whatsoever after Prophet Muhammad ( Peace Be Upon Him), and I do not recognize such a claimant to the Prophet or a religions reformer nor do I belong to the Qadiani group or the Lahori group or call myself an Ahmadi.”
Zahid Hamid said the declaration contained in the nominations papers has been restored in its original form through the amendment in the Act.
Responding to the concerns of Riaz Hussain Pirzada about media reports allegedly linking certain parliamentarians with defunct outfits, Law Minister said the cabinet meeting had taken a strong notice of the matter.
He said the Cabinet had entrusted responsibility to him to ensure legal action. He said he also contacted the DG IB who described the report as false and forged.
Earlier, Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq held a consultative session with parliamentary party leaders in Islamabad on Thursday on restoration of original law of Khatam-e-Nabuwat.
Minister for Law Zahid Hamid briefed the leaders on relevant legal points.
Those who attended the meeting included Naveed Qamar, Barrister Zafarullah, Akram Durrani, Pir Amin-ul-Hasnat, Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Sheikh Salah-ud-Din. (APP)
