ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday advised President Asif Ali Zardari to withdraw the Special Economic Zones (Amendment) Ordinance 2026 after controversy erupted over its promulgation without the president’s signature, triggering a walkout by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in the National Assembly.
According to official sources, the prime minister has sent a summary to the president under Article 89(2)(b) of the Constitution, which empowers the president to withdraw an ordinance on the advice of the prime minister. The summary has been signed by the prime minister, paving the way for the ordinance’s formal withdrawal.
The move follows strong objections raised by the PPP, which argued that the ordinance lacked procedural legitimacy as it was notified without presidential assent. On Monday, PPP lawmakers staged a walkout from the National Assembly, leaving the house without quorum and forcing proceedings to be suspended.
Sources in the Ministry of Law said that six bills and one ordinance, including the SEZ Amendment Ordinance, were forwarded to the President’s Office for approval through the e-office system. While the approvals were processed collectively online, it later emerged that the president had not signed the SEZ ordinance when the files were returned, despite printing and notification having already taken place.
Following the discovery, the federal government decided to withdraw the ordinance and present it before parliament as a bill for debate and legislative approval.
Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar told the National Assembly that the omission was an administrative oversight linked to the e-office approval process. He said the matter had been corrected and stressed that the president’s assent was constitutionally required for an ordinance.
Tarar also pointed to coordination between the PPP and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, saying mutual understanding between coalition partners had contributed to resolving the issue. He assured the house that future legislative matters would be handled with greater care.
Earlier, PPP leader Syed Naveed Qamar described the incident as unprecedented, saying an ordinance issued without presidential approval undermined constitutional norms. Despite efforts by the speaker and the law minister to persuade PPP members to return to the house, the party maintained its boycott, resulting in the adjournment of the session until Tuesday.
The development comes amid broader legislative activity, including the recent promulgation of an ordinance amending the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Act, which has restructured the capital’s local government system and reset the municipal election process.
