ISLAMABAD (APP) – The federal government on Monday deferred until Tuesday voting on the two government bills aimed to set up constitutionally protected military courts to try civilian terrorism suspects.
Members of the National Assembly had arrived in Parliament today to vote on the two bills – the Constitution (Twenty-first Amendment) Bill and the Pakistan Army (Amendment).
But voting was deferred after the government fell short of the required two-thirds majority – 228 members – for the passage of the constitution amendments after Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman expressed reservations on the bill, saying his party would not vote in favour of the amendment in its current form.
Only 218 members were present during the National Assembly session today – 10 legislators short of the required number. The bill is now expected to be tabled in the National Assembly on Tuesday.
