Islamabad, Nov. 16 (TNS): The National Assembly passed “The Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2017” on Thursday to reinstate clauses 7A and 7B relating to Khatm-e-Nabuwwat (the finality of the prophethood), state media reported.
The amendment bill was presented by Law Minister Zahid Hamid in a specially convened session of the lower house of Parliament chaired by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq.
The Bill seeks to incorporate and reaffirm the provisions of Articles 7-B and 7-C of the Conduced of General Elections Order, 2002 through addition of a new section 48-A in the Election Act, 2017.
Speaking on the occasion, Zahid Hamid said that the status of Ahmedi, Qadiyani or Lahori group will continue as non-Muslims.
He said if a person gets himself or herself enrolled as Muslim in the voters’ list, any other person can challenge this before the revising authority, then he or she is required to sign the declaration of finality of the Prophethood.
The Minister for Law said if the person refuses to sign that declaration then he/she shall be deemed as non-Muslim and his vote will be expunged from the list for Muslim voters and be included in the non-Muslim list.
“I am a lover of the Prophet (pbuh) and have performed two Hajj and several Umrah pilgrims… I can’t even think about changing the clauses on Khatm-e-Nabuwwat,” he said in his address.
Amended bill will make the clauses relating to finality of prophethood more effective and a separate voters list will be created for Ahmadis as they will not be included in the list for Muslims, said the law minister.
He said the Khatm-e-Nabuwwat declaration has also been restored to original form in English and Urdu through the amended bill.
Reacting to Hamid’s statement, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal said that faith was a personal issue and between man and the Almighty. “Should we go door-o-door to announce that we are Muslims?,” he questioned.
Sheikh Rashid objected to Iqbal’s comments, saying he started speaking without knowing anything. Hamid did not issue the statement on anyone’s behest and it was his own opinion, he added.
Seeking the speaker’s ruling, the Awam Muslim League (AML) chief said point of view of the two ministers differed. “If anyone is Ahmadi or Mirzai then he would have to declare it officially,” he remarked.
Later, the house unanimously adopted the amendment bill which will now be tabled in Senate.
