Simple News Explanation

Pakistan’s National Assembly has passed the Associated Press of Pakistan Corporation (Amendment) Bill 2026 to update administrative powers and authority rules related to the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).

APP is Pakistan’s official state news agency working under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The government says the amendment was needed to replace the term “Federal Government” with more specific authorities in different sections of the law, following Supreme Court and Federal Cabinet directions.

What Changed in the Law?

“Division Concerned” Added in the Law

The amendment introduces a new term called “division concerned.”

This means the ministry or division responsible for APP’s affairs will now be clearly identified in the law.

Earlier, many powers were broadly assigned to the “Federal Government,” which could create administrative confusion.

The government says this change will:

• Clarify responsibilities
• Improve administrative efficiency
• Reduce delays in decision-making

Definition of “Minister” Updated

The law now defines “Minister” as the Minister-in-Charge of the relevant division concerned.

This change was introduced to clearly identify which minister will handle APP-related matters.

The government says this helps create a more organized administrative structure.

Some References to Federal Government Removed

In several sections of the APP Ordinance:

• The words “Federal Government” have been replaced with more specific authorities like:
  • Division concerned
  • Prime Minister
  • Prescribed authorities

The government says this was necessary to reduce unnecessary involvement of the Federal Cabinet in routine matters.

Prime Minister Given Certain Administrative Powers

The amendment transfers some powers previously held under the term “Federal Government” directly to the Prime Minister.

The government says this change aligns APP laws with current constitutional and administrative practices.

Cabinet Burden Reduction Measures Introduced

According to the Statement of Objects & Reasons, the amendment follows directions issued after the Supreme Court’s Mustafa Impex Case.

The Federal Cabinet had instructed ministries to:

• Replace the term “Federal Government” with appropriate authorities
• Reduce routine administrative matters being sent to the Cabinet

The government says this amendment is part of broader governance reforms across different laws and institutions.

Why This Law Was Needed

According to the government, the APP Ordinance contained outdated administrative wording that no longer matched modern governance practices. After the Supreme Court’s Mustafa Impex decision, ministries were directed to clearly define powers and authorities instead of using the general term “Federal Government.” The amendment aims to improve clarity, reduce bureaucratic delays, and streamline routine administrative processes within APP and related government departments.

The government says the law will help to:

• Clarify administrative authority
• Reduce burden on the Federal Cabinet
• Improve efficiency in decision-making
• Modernize APP governance structure
• Align laws with Supreme Court directions

Short Summary

Pakistan’s National Assembly has passed the APP Amendment Bill 2026 to modernize administrative authority rules within the Associated Press of Pakistan. The law replaces the term “Federal Government” with more specific authorities such as the Prime Minister and relevant divisions, aiming to improve clarity, reduce bureaucratic delays, and streamline governance according to Supreme Court and Federal Cabinet directives.