ISLAMABAD—Pakistan’s coalition government passed key constitutional amendments in the wee hours of Monday, soon after the package sailed through the Senate.
The constitutional tweaks enable Parliament to appoint Chief Justice of Pakistan from among the current members of the Supreme Court, besides a mechanism for creating constitutional benches to handle constitutional matters more effectively.
The amendment bill was presented by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, and A total of 225 members voted in favor, while 12 members from the PTI and the Sunni Ittehad Council opposed it. The government, holding 211 votes, got support of 8 JUI members and 6 independent lawmakers.
Key political figures, including Nawaz Sharif, PM Shehbaz Sharif, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, were present during the introduction of the bill. The session briefly adjourned just before midnight, reconvening at 12:05 am for discussions.
The ruling coalition needed at least 224 votes but faced challenges due to three coalition members under scrutiny. The total government votes rose to 219 with the support of the JUI members, leaving them just five votes short. The opposition holds 80 seats, including members from the Sunni Ittehad Council and eight PTI-supported independents, making the votes of returning independents critical to the amendment’s success.
Earlier, upper house of Parliament Senate also passed the 26th Constitutional Amendment with a two-thirds majority, receiving 58 votes from the government and additional support from JUI-F and the Balochistan National Party, while members of the PTI and its allies walked out during the voting process.
This amendment marks a pivotal moment in Pakistan’s legislative history, reshaping the appointment process for the Chief Justice and enhancing the framework for constitutional adjudication.
