# National Assembly approves a parliamentary committee on electoral reforms, all parties to sit on it

Source: Searchable (https://searchable.pk/news/politics/national-assembly-approves-a-parliamentary-committee-on-electoral-reforms-all)
Type: News article
Author: Searchable Editorial
Published: 17 Oct 2026
Updated: 17 Oct 2026
Retrieved: 17 Oct 2026

> Speaker Ayaz Sadiq will form the committee with the Senate chairman to recommend reforms, technology for polling and new laws. Ministers also told the House every passport now issued is an e-passport.

The **National Assembly** on Friday passed a motion allowing **Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq** to set up a **parliamentary committee on electoral reforms**, in consultation with the Senate chairman, [Business Recorder reported](https://www.brecorder.com/news/40444627/electoral-reforms-na-passes-motion-to-form-parliamentary-body). The motion was moved by Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs **Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry**.

## What the committee is meant to do

- Recommend reforms for **"free, fair and transparent elections"**.
- Propose how **modern technology** can be used in the electoral process.
- Recommend the **legislation** needed to bring those changes in.

It will include representatives of **all parliamentary parties**. The Speaker can change its make-up on the advice of parliamentary leaders and form subcommittees. No deadline for its report was announced.

## Also in the House on Friday

**Passports.** Dr Chaudhry said **every passport now issued in Pakistan is an e-passport** with an embedded chip, and passport services are being extended to district and tehsil level. Applications made by overseas Pakistanis through embassies are generally sent to headquarters for e-passport issue, he said, and a full nationwide switch will take time. For the current fees by page count and speed, use our [passport fee calculator](/tools/government/passport-fee-calculator).

**Islamabad sectors.** About **94%** of development work in **Sector C-14** is complete, and plots in **Sector E-12** have been handed to allottees, the House was told. If you hold a plot there, our [plot size converter](/tools/property/plot-size-converter) turns marla and kanal into square feet.

**Workers Welfare Fund.** Minister of State **Muhammad Awn Saqlain** said the WWF has 251 regular employees, 12 on deputation and 90 vacant posts, and that its use of 22 vehicles by Grade-20 officers was cut by half under the prime minister's austerity policy. Over five years its administrative costs were **Rs 753 million** and operational spending **Rs 300 million**.

**PTV.** Parliamentary Secretary **Barrister Danyal Chaudhry** said PTV's business plan is with its board, with approval expected within a few months.

**New bills.** The National Book Foundation (Amendment) Bill, 2026 and the Pakistan Climate Change (Amendment) Bill, 2026 were introduced.

## Frequently asked questions

**Are all new Pakistani passports e-passports?**

Yes. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry told the National Assembly on 16 October 2026 that every passport now issued in Pakistan is an e-passport with an embedded chip.

## Sources

- Electoral reforms: NA passes motion to form parliamentary body (17 Oct 2026) (Business Recorder): https://www.brecorder.com/news/40444627/electoral-reforms-na-passes-motion-to-form-parliamentary-body

How to cite: "National Assembly approves a parliamentary committee on electoral reforms, all parties to sit on it", Searchable, 17 Oct 2026, https://searchable.pk/news/politics/national-assembly-approves-a-parliamentary-committee-on-electoral-reforms-all