After approval from the upper house, the Senate, all is set for the National Assembly session to approve the 27th Constitutional Amendment bill today, Tuesday.
The National Assembly Secretariat has released the agenda for today’s session, according to which the 27th Constitutional Amendment will be presented in the lower house. It should be noted that the government has a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, for which it will not face any difficulty in approving the amendment.
It should be noted that the Senate approved the 27th Constitutional Amendment yesterday with the support of 64 members. The Senate session began with a delay of about half an hour. The government had been scrambling since morning to complete the 64 votes required to approve the constitutional amendment.
Due to the illness of PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui and the absence of the Senate Chairman, all eyes were on which two opposition members would deviate from their party’s policy. At 1:00 pm, Senator Faisal Vawda distributed sweets to media representatives and announced that the constitutional amendment had been approved; now, preparations are underway for the 28th amendment.
During the meeting, parliamentary leaders expressed their views on the constitutional amendment. At the same time, PTI Senator Saifullah Abro and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Senator Ahmed Khan entered the house, and PML-N Senator Nasir Butt said that this is our servant. PTI senators protested vehemently, raised slogans, and tore copies of the bill.
While Senator Azam Nazir Tarar was presenting the constitutional amendment bill, opposition members surrounded Senator Azam Nazir Tarar, but the Sergeant at Arms intervened and brought the situation under control. Later, opposition members walked out of the house in protest. After the opposition walked out, the Senate Chairman took approval for all the clauses in stages.
Later, to approve the complete 27th Constitutional Amendment, the Senate Chairman rang the bells for 2 minutes and directed the supporting members to go to the government lobby and lock the gates of the Senate hall.
The members signed in the lobby and then returned to the house, after which the Senate Chairman announced the results and said that 64 members voted in favor of the constitutional amendment.
Chairman Senate Yousaf Raza Gilani announced that Senator Irfan Siddiqui and he did not vote, while PTI Senator Saifullah Abro and JUI Senator Ahmed Khan voted in favor of the government. After the amendment was approved, Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar said that the government had invited the opposition to reach a consensus, but they did not cooperate.
Ishaq Dar also thanked the ruling coalition for supporting the constitutional amendment. Ishaq Dar requested that Senator Saifullah Abro be allowed to express his views. Senator Saifullah Abro said that he voted for the constitutional amendment not in the interest of any party but on the basis of the role of Federal Marshal Syed Asim Munir in the Pak-India war.
He said that in the past, when Farogh Naseem used to present constitutional amendments, the opposition used to protest; today, the same situation has been reversed. Later, Saifullah Abro resigned from the Senate membership and left the house. Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani said that we will make him a senator again.
Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani said that all legal requirements for approving the amendment have been fulfilled. He said that the amendment was first sent to the committee, then the opinion of the Law and Justice Committees of the National Assembly and the Senate was sought, after which it was brought back to the House and approved.
Thus, the Senate passed the 27th Constitutional Amendment with a majority of 64 votes, with which it has entered the final stage of becoming part of the Constitution.
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