ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (Pildat) has shown concern over, what it called, the passage of 22nd Constitutional Amendment Bill in haste.

Though the thinktank has declared it a much needed amendment, it says the hasty legislation would contribute to negative trend of rushing legislation through parliament.

The 22nd Constitutional Amendment Bill was tabled on May 19 and passed the same day unanimously.

The official statement claims that there was a demand to bring reforms in the qualification of the chief and members of the Election Commission of Pakistan but only one requirement has been fulfilled and electoral reforms are still pending.

The Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reforms, formed on July 24, 2014, had to complete its work within four months. However, after almost one and half years of its work, it failed to table a comprehensive package of electoral reforms in parliament.

The think tank has blamed that it was of ten witnessed that instead of bringing important legislation in time, the Government and Parliament move in at the eleventh hour to do the needful.

The negative trend of rushing important legislation through the Parliament, without the requisite debate in the legislature, and any input from the stakeholders, including members of the civil society, media, etc., has been going on for a while.

Earlier, the all-important 21st Constitutional Amendment, which paved the way for formation of Military Courts, was passed after only 174 minutes of debate in the National Assembly, the statement said. A Reporter