Federal cabinet to discuss constitutional amendments

The federal cabinet is set to mull over the draft 26th constitutional amendment at a meeting today (Saturday), after the proposed tweaks were finally approved by the government and opposition.

The two sides “unanimously approved” the proposed constitutional changes after months of political-twisted deliberation, during the meeting of the special committee formed to discuss the constitutional package.

The announcement was made after the special committee formed to discuss the contentious judicial package met under the chairmanship of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Syed Khursheed Shah.

Leaders of all major political parties except Aimal Wali Khan of Awami National Party were present in the meeting.

The draft foresees the formation of a constitutional bench, the parliamentary role in the appointment of the president of the Supreme Court from a list of three judges, the restructuring of the Judicial Council and the Supreme Judicial Council and the fixing of the three years of mandate of the President of the Supreme Court.

If the Council of Ministers approves the draft of the proposed amendments, it will be submitted to the Senate for approval.

The meeting of the upper house of Parliament is scheduled for 12:30, with the government ready to present the constitutional amendments.

According to Shah, everyone, including the key opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), agreed to the draft that was presented point by point, although no one has yet signed it .

However, the party founded by Imran Khan dispelled this impression that they approved the draft unanimously.

PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan said on Friday night that the consultation on the fourth draft shared by the government was still ongoing, adding that they would take the final decision on the constitutional package after meeting the founder of his party, who is currently imprisoned in Adiala prison on multiple charges.

Responding to PTI’s reservations, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has warned that he will be forced to take a “controversial path” to pass the amendments if opposition parties refuse to give support their efforts to pass the judicial package with consensus.

“If the opposition still refuses to support us despite so many compromises, I will be forced to pass the amendment with the support of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the additional members,” the PPP chief said.

Meanwhile, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUIF) has said that the rulers cannot force the party’s parliamentarians to vote in favor of the amendment.

“If the government continues to use coercive tactics, we will never support the constitutional amendment even if our bodies are cut into pieces,” said Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri during the debate on the proposed amendments in the National Assembly.

To approve the constitutional amendments, the government needs a two-thirds majority in parliament, with sources saying it lacked 13 votes in the National Assembly (NA) and nine in the Senate.

Last month, the coalition government made a futile attempt to pass the constitutional package. However, the government did not even table the amendments in parliament after the JUI-F chief refused to support the government’s judicial package, leaving the controversial amendments pending.

The PPP leader last week said the government had the option of securing the magic number under “conscience voting”.

“Despite this, efforts are being made to reach a consensus,” Bilawal added.

It is pertinent to mention here that the top court on October 4 set aside its earlier opinion on Article 63 (A) – a clause dealing with the defection of lawmakers – as a five-member bench led by the CJP Isa unanimously allowed a petition for review. presented by the Bar Association of the Supreme Court.

The move paved the way for the counting of absentee votes.