ISLAMABAD – The National Assembly (NA) will today decide whether to vacate Sheikh Waqas Akram’s seat following prolonged absence from parliamentary sessions.
The sitting is scheduled for 11 a.m. with Speaker Ayaz Sadiq presiding. The agenda, issued by the NA Secretariat, lists a motion to declare the PTI lawmaker’s seat vacant. The motion will be tabled by government member Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar.
If the House approves the motion, Sheikh Waqas Akram’s membership will officially end. Speaker Ayaz Sadiq recently noted that the opposition member had missed 40 consecutive sittings without approved leave. Under parliamentary rules, this can lead to the seat being declared vacant.
PTI MNA Malik Aamir Dogar criticized the move, accusing the government of targeting PTI lawmakers. He argued that no previous member had been removed solely over leave-related issues. Dogar claimed Sheikh Waqas had submitted leave applications to the Speaker’s office.
Alongside the decision on Sheikh Waqas Akram’s seat, the NA will take up key legislative matters. These include the Easy Business Bill 2025, the National School of Public Policy Bill 2025, the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2025, and the Petroleum (Amendment) Bill 2025.
Attention notices are also expected. Lawmakers plan to question the government’s silence over comments by the U.S. President on oil reserves. Other notices focus on alleged overcharging by private hospitals and laboratories in Islamabad.
The outcome of today’s session could trigger a by-election if the seat is declared vacant. Political observers say the decision may set a precedent for enforcing attendance rules in parliament. However, PTI maintains that the move is politically motivated and not based on fair application of the law.
All eyes remain on today’s vote, as it could influence both parliamentary discipline and the ongoing political tensions between the government and opposition.
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