ISLAMABAD: The government has submitted a formal request to National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza seeking to withdraw the National Reconciliation Ordinance tabled in the house on Oct 16.

The bill would stand withdrawn when the speaker signed the request, an official said, adding: ‘Technically, it stands withdrawn because it was a government bill.’

The National Assembly had sent the bill to the house committee on law and justice for vetting and approval. The committee passed the NRO on Oct 31 to covert it into a parliamentary act and forwarded it to the National Assembly.

The PML-N boycotted the committee proceedings and announced that it would oppose the controversial legislation in the house.

The government was compelled to reverse its decision to get the NRO approved by the assembly when its major allies, MQM, ANP and JUI-F, did not agree to support it.