ISLAMABAD, MAY 24 (DNA) -In a landmark development, the National Assembly on Thursday approved a much-awaited constitutional amendment bill regarding the merger of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with the majority.

The 31st amendment bill was tabled by Law Minister Mahmood Bashir Virk in a historic session called after a parliamentary committee agreed upon the draft of the bill despite resistance from Jamat-e-Uleman Islam-F and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party.

A session of the parliamentary leaders headed by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was held on Wednesday, where the leaders finally agreed upon the draft of the constitution amendment bill.

The amendment also aimed at merging the Provincial Administered Tribal Areas (Pata) with their respective provinces of K-P and Balochistan.

The parliamentary session observed a higher attendance of the lawmakers as members of opposition parties, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), took part in the major decision passionately.

In a surprising move, PTI chief Imran Khan, who has been forcefully supporting the Fata merger, also reached the NA after nearly two years to take part in the landmark event.

However, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party members boycotted the session.

Earlier, the PTI had directed its legislators to ensure their presence in the assembly in order to get the bill passed smoothly. However, Imran Khan, who has been forcefully demanding the Fata-KP merger, would also attend the historic session.

Earlier this week, the amendment bill got the approval of the federal cabinet in a session presided over by the prime minister.

Following the approval, the seats for the KP assembly will be increased to 147 from the current 126 and the general seats of the provincial assembly will swell to 117 from 99 in five years. The seats for women will also increase from 22 to 26, and religious minorities’ seats from three to four.

In 2016, the KP assembly passed a resolution supporting the merger of Fata with KP with the aim of rehabilitation and reconstruction of the infrastructure.