ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly has completed the clause-by-clause approval process for the 27th Constitutional Amendment. All 59 clauses of the amendment were approved by a two-thirds majority.
Federal Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar presented the motion for the 27th Constitutional Amendment in the National Assembly. During the briefing, he stated that the position of Chief Justice of Pakistan will be retained, and the senior judge in both the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court, following Justice Yahya Afridi, will assume the role of Chief Justice.
Opposition members walked out of the session in protest when the motion for the amendment was introduced. Subsequently, voting took place on all 59 clauses, and each clause was approved. A total of 233 votes were cast in favour of the amendment, while only 4 votes were against it. The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party opposed the amendment.
There were 233 members present from the government benches during the session, while only 224 votes were needed to approve the constitutional amendment.
The National Assembly (NA) session is currently in progress, with clause-by-clause voting on the 27th amendment bill continuing. However, opposition parties have walked out of the session in protest against the amendment.
The National Assembly (NA) session is currently ongoing, with clause-by-clause voting on the 27th amendment bill taking place. However, opposition parties have walked out in protest against the amendment.
A total of 233 members voted in favour of the amendment, while 4 members opposed it. The JUI party voted against the amendment. The government required the support of at least 224 members to approve the amendment, and there were 233 members present on the government benches.
After PPP leader Syed Khursheed Shah arrived at parliament in a wheelchair and attended the session, the number of members supporting the government increased to 234. The government still needed at least 224 votes for the amendment to pass.
In the National Assembly session, Federal Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar introduced a motion to approve the 27th Constitutional Amendment. During his remarks, he noted that after consulting with the Bar Council and the Association, ambiguity remained regarding the position of the Chief Justice. He emphasised that stating the most senior person will chair the commission created confusion and announced his intention to propose amendments to clarify this issue.
Tarar confirmed that the amendments would ensure Justice Yahya Afridi remains the Chief Justice of Pakistan.
Bilawal Bhutto’s address
Earlier, in his address to the National Assembly, Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, asserted that they have a majority for the constitutional amendment, declaring that no one could abolish the 18th Amendment. He stressed that approving constitutional amendments should be done by consensus, not just a majority vote, citing the consensus reached for both the 26th and 18th Amendments, which granted rights to the provinces.
Bilawal affirmed their commitment to fulfilling the promises made in the Charter of Democracy, ensuring that the unfinished commitments of the Charter are completed.
He also highlighted that they have inflicted a significant defeat on India, noting that the performance of the Field Marshal is garnering global appreciation and that the position will receive constitutional protection.
Expressing concerns over the resurgence of terrorism, Bilawal called for unity against terrorism and the enemies of the country, emphasising that the nation must stand together against the threats. He condemned recent terrorist incidents and reminded everyone that they had previously united to combat terrorism, pledging to continue that fight.
He criticised the opposition’s role, stating that it goes beyond merely voicing concerns for its leader; they must also monitor the government and contribute to the legislative process.
Bilawal pointed out that both the PML-N and the PPP suffered due to Iftikhar Chaudhry’s suo motu actions, and he expressed the need to correct past mistakes through the 27th Constitutional Amendment, which would eliminate suo motu notices.
He expressed gratitude to the government for accepting their proposal and noted that even those who oppose the 27th Constitutional Amendment would acknowledge it as a significant success.
Bilawal assured that all provinces would have equal representation in the Constitutional Court. During his speech, the opposition raised slogans, including “Chor Aya Chor Aya.”
