The government has approved the withdrawal of the Special Economic Zones (Amendment) Ordinance 2026. Under Article 89(2)(b) of the Constitution, the president has been advised to withdraw the ordinance. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has signed the summary for the withdrawal of the Special Economic Zones (Amendment) Ordinance. It is pertinent to note that the ordinance was withdrawn after it was found to be inconsistent with the national policy. 

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister’s Office has issued a notification, formally enforcing the decision to withdraw the SEZ Amendment Ordinance. Earlier, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had staged a walkout from the National Assembly following the promulgation of the ordinance, and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had convened a meeting of the party’s parliamentary party on Tuesday to discuss the issue. 

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)