‘Amendment package’ likely to be tabled today

ISLAMABAD: The government on Saturday found itself in hot waters after the Supreme Court’s clarification on the reserves seats case, as it deferred the much-hyped proposed “constitutional amendment package” in the National Assembly for the superior judiciary till today (Sunday).

Though the proposed “constitutional amendment package” was not on the order of the day of the National Assembly on Saturday, it was anticipated that the package would have been introduced through a supplementary agenda. The constitutional amendment package about increasing the retirement age of superior courts’ judges — a move vehemently opposed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), could not be introduced in Saturday’s sitting of the National Assembly and it is likely to be tabled today (Sunday).

The government will need a two-thirds majority both in the National Assembly and the Senate for the passage of the “package”, for which, according to the sources, the government has already negotiated with some independent lawmakers who have secured their seats on reserved seats. However, following the apex court’s clarification, the government may not attain the required two-thirds majority in the National Assembly.

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In the NA, the ruling coalition needs 224 votes to pass the constitutional amendment, whereas, in the Senate, the number stands at 64. In the National Assembly, the treasury benches have 211 members against the opposition’s 101 lawmakers meaning that the government needs 13 more votes to pass the constitutional amendment package. The ruling coalition comprises the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) 110; Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) 68; Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) 22; Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) four; Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) four; and one each by Pakistan Muslim League-Zia (PML-Z), Awami National Party (ANP) and Balochistan Awami Party (BAP). Whereas, the opposition comprises 80 MNAs of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), which is supported by the PTI-backed independent lawmakers.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif summoned a meeting of the federal cabinet today (Sunday) at the Parliament House, which, according to sources will pass the constitutional amendment package. After getting approval from the federal cabinet, the said constitutional amendment package will then be tabled in both the houses of the Parliament. Through the proposed package, the government intends to increase the retirement age of the Supreme Court and high court judges to 68 and 65 years, respectively.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024