President returns while Speaker exits country as Parliament vote on contentious media bill looms

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu returned to Male’ from Qatar while Parliament Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla left for Pakistan on Tuesday, with the Parliament set to take a vote on a contentious media bill that seeks to replace the existing self-regulatory system with a government-controlled commission.

According to the Parliament’s secretariat, Abdul Raheem, the chairman of the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC), left for Islamabad in the morning on an official five-day visit. He is accompanied by fellow PNC lawmakers; Hulhudhoo MP Mohamed Shahid, Manadhoo MP Husnee Mubarik, Gan MP Yoosuf Nasheed, and Central Hulhumale’ MP Abdulla Shazeem.

They are set to meet with senior Pakistani government officials during the visit, said the Parliament, without disclosing any details.

Hon. Abdul Raheem Abdulla, Speaker of the People’s Majlis, has departed to Islamabad, Pakistan on an official visit from 16-20 September 2025.

????: https://t.co/2j5nekA3u0 pic.twitter.com/BwrecDb66R

— People's Majlis (@mvpeoplesmajlis) September 16, 2025

Meanwhile, President Muizzu returned to Male’ in the morning, after concluding a visit to Qatar to attend an emergency summit of Arab and Islamic country leaders.

President concludes official visit to Qatar after attending Emergency Arab-Islamic Summit https://t.co/Lvo0Mpetkx pic.twitter.com/3GhbshnObg

— The President's Office (@presidencymv) September 16, 2025

President Muizzu’s return to Male’ and Speaker Abdul Raheem’s exit from the country comes with the Parliament set to convene for an extraordinary sitting on Tuesday, during which the PNC is expected to wield its supermajority to pass the bill. However, the Parliament’s secretariat has yet to announce the agenda or when the sitting will begin.

While the Parliament has yet to share either the time or agenda for the sitting, multiple parliamentarians from the PNC told Sun that they plan to pass the bill during Tuesday’s sitting.

Noosveringe muzaahara hoonuve, noosverinnaai fuluhun ge kurimathilumakah. Noosverin annanee media control bill aa dhekolhah ihuthijaaju kuramun.

Video: Mohamed Hamdhoon

Thafseel: https://t.co/v1F7tPS1Ia#sunonline #news #sunonlineheadlines #latestnews #dhivehinews… pic.twitter.com/dEETBrYWIX

— sun.mv (@sunbrk) September 16, 2025

A crowd of protestors, most of them journalists, have been gathered outside the Parliament Building since the morning in protest of the expected passage of the bill.