‘Bhaiya ji SMILE’: Marathon legislations make Pakistan’s history as bills signed in PJs

In a whirlwind move, Pakistan's parliament on November 4 passed one of the most significant legislative packages in its history, extending the tenure of all three armed forces chiefs, including the Chief of Army Staff – from three to five years – and increasing the number of Supreme Court judges.

But what really caught the social media’s eye was the ‘midnight approval,’ captured in a picture featuring Acting President Yousuf Raza Gillani in a cozy sleeping suit, signing away in his bedroom with a telling smile.

With parliament passing the bills at lightning speed, the image of Gillani signing all six crucial bills while reclining comfortably has sparked a flurry of humorous reactions online.

The person beside him, Principal Secretary Shakeel Malik, was also seen in rather casual attire – a striped shirt and trousers paired with sneakers, adding to the speculation that he must have ‘ran to the acting president’s house’ to make it in time!

Social media users wondered aloud: “Who was snapping pictures at that hour?” and “Did they ask the Acting President to say ‘cheese’?”

Another said, "Acting President Yousuf Raza Gilani's mischievous smile [while] signing the Army Act Bill."

Others felt sympathy for the acting president, with one user remarking, "The government didn't even give Yousuf Raza Gillani time to change out of his night suit. He signed [it] before sunrise."

The day’s frenzy began when the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) announced in a parliamentary meeting at sunset that they would be pushing through six major legislative changes. Among these: a five-year extension for all armed forces chiefs, a doubling of Supreme Court judges, and an increase of three additional judges for the Islamabad High Court.

The National Assembly session, which began at 6:39 pm on Monday, went by in a flash, wrapping up by 7:16 pm with all bills approved after suspending regular proceedings.

Subsequently, the Senate session began at 7:27 pm for business as usual until 8:45 pm, before it halted to table the six bills, passing them in a huff – a total of 15 minutes – despite protests from the opposition.

Later that night, with President Gillani's signature officially sealing the deal, staff was reportedly held back to ensure every bill was published in the Official Gazette of Pakistan before midnight.

A full day’s legislative work was wrapped up in record time, sparking discussions and amusement among citizens across Pakistan about the urgency and style of the historical session.