Pakistan Citizenship (Amendment) Bill introduced in NA

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Pakistan Citizenship (Amendment) Bill introduced in NA​

Naveed Butt

The Pakistan Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2025 was introduced in the National Assembly on Wednesday for giving the right of citizenship to Bengalis, who have been living in Pakistan for more than five decades.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Member of the National Assembly Khawaja Izharul Hassan, Wednesday, introduced the bill in the House. National Assembly Deputy Speaker Ghulam Mustafa Shah, who was chairing the House, referred the bill to the concerned standing committee for further deliberation.

Khawaja Izharul Hassan talking to Business Recorder said that for the first time, such bill was presented in the National Assembly.

He said that that Bengalis neither have the right of vote nor can they get admission in colleges and universities for higher education after passing matriculation exams.

According to objects and reasons of “The Pakistan Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2025”, “it seeks to address the sacrifice and recognition of people of East Pakistan who willingly adopt to live in West Pakistan at their will after Sakoot-e-Dhaka and migrated to Pakistan ensuring their citizen rights and seeking special provision for their residence.” Bengalis who had migrated to Pakistan after 1971 War are yet to receive a legitimate identity card to access the basic services in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The procedure of getting a work permit is also quite complex, as one has to pass several stages, often having to pay bribes.

Professionally, the Bengali-speaking people of Karachi are mainly involved in the local fisheries. They are also the main driving force in Pakistan’s 25-billion-rupee fish export sector.

A total of six bills were introduced in the National Assembly, these include; “The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2025”, “The Orbit Institute of Management and Technology Bill, 2025”, “The Right to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill, 2025”, “The al-Biruni International University Bill, 2025”, “The Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) (Amendment) Bill, 2025” and “The Pakistan Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2025.”

The chair referred the bills to the standing committees concerned for further deliberation.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025