ISLAMABAD: The government is set to present the final draft of the 26th Constitutional Amendment in both houses of parliament today. This comes after intense efforts to align the treasury and opposition parties. Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar announced this at a press conference early Sunday.
The federal cabinet will meet again at 2:30 p.m. today to review and approve the final draft of the proposed amendments. Meetings have continued between ruling and opposition parties, with the aim of finalizing the amendment, which has faced multiple delays.
During a late-night cabinet session on Saturday, the ministers discussed the constitutional changes. Tarar, alongside Information Minister Ataullah Tarar, informed the media that the cabinet was briefed on the draft approved by the parliamentary committee. The committee, comprising members of both the government and the opposition, suggested modifications to the draft.
The cabinet is expected to give the green light to the final version today. Once approved, the draft will be introduced in the Senate at 3 p.m. and in the National Assembly at 6 p.m. The government hopes to begin voting on the amendments today after the bill is tabled.
The coalition government is confident that it has secured enough votes to pass the amendments. However, delays occurred as efforts continued to build broader consensus among political parties. To pass the amendments, the government requires a two-thirds majority in both houses. Reports suggest it is still short of 13 votes in the National Assembly and nine in the Senate.
Last month, the government’s attempt to pass the amendments failed when Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman withheld his support. The amendments remained stalled as a result.
A Joint Draft of the Amendment
After many political negotiations, the government and opposition reached a joint draft of the amendment on Friday. The amendment includes provisions for the formation of a constitutional bench, parliamentary involvement in appointing the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, restructuring the Judicial Council, and setting a three-year term for the Chief Justice.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman, whose stance has been pivotal, indicated that his party is now ready to support the amendments. He said JUI-F is awaiting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) response on the judicial package. PTI has requested a day for internal consultations.
Late Saturday, Rehman and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari announced that JUI-F and PPP had reached a consensus. Fazl stated that his party’s concerns with certain parts of the amendment were resolved after the government agreed to revisions. The two leaders expressed optimism that PTI would join them in supporting the amendments.
Bilawal, in his last efforts to achieve unity among political parties, including PTI, reiterated that consensus had been reached with JUI-F on the constitutional amendment. Fazl’s approval is seen as crucial in securing the required votes for passage.
The proposed amendment would also restructure the Supreme Judicial Council and modify the composition of the constitutional bench. Under the new rules, the Chief Justice will serve a fixed term of three years, after which retirement will follow, regardless of age. The draft also suggests equal representation of judges from all provinces on the constitutional bench.
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