Islamabad: The National Assembly passed the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill with a two-thirds majority on Wednesday, two days after the Senate approved the key legislation, which seeks major judicial and military reforms. 234 votes were cast in favor and 4 against the Constitutional Amendment. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf members boycotted the voting process.
The Bill has been approved in the Lower House, two days after the Senate approved the key legislation, which seeks major judicial and military reforms.
Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq presided overt the session and announced the results of the voting. Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, former prime minister and PML-N President Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Chairman Pakistan People's Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and other leaders attended the session. As PM Shehbaz and Nawaz entered the house, PTI lawmakers tore up copies of the bill and hurled them toward the premier's seat.
The government introduced eight new amendments to the bill. The proposed changes include the removal of four clauses and the addition of four new ones.
The term Federal Constitutional Court has been added to Clause 2 of Article 6 of the Constitution. The word Supreme Court has been included in Article 10.
An amendment to Article 176 states that the incumbent Chief Justice will continue to be referred to as the Chief Justice of Pakistan until completion of their term.
After its passage by the National Assembly, it will be sent back to the Senate for reconsideration of the new amendments before final approval by the upper house.
Following a two-day-long debate, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar moved the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill in the National Assembly. Speaking on the NA floor, Tarar said that the key features of the 27th Constitutional Amendment had already been presented in the Senate. He added that amending the Constitution and laws was an evolutionary process.
The law minister added that all stakeholders were consulted regarding the proposed constitutional changes. He further clarified that Justice Yahya Afridi will continue to serve as the Chief Justice of Pakistan.
The key legislation - tabled by Law Minister Tarar after approval from the Senate on Monday - requires a two-thirds majority in the 336-member National Assembly for passage.
The ruling coalition appears well-positioned to secure the numbers, with the PML-N holding 125 seats, the PPP 74, MQM-P 22, PML-Q four, Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party four, and one seat each held by the PML-Z, Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), and National Peoples Party.
The 59-clause amendment seeks to overhaul the country's military and judicial structures. It was moved by the law minister and secured 64 votes in the 96-member House, with no votes against it, as opposition lawmakers boycotted the proceedings and tore up their copies in protest.
Apart from treasury members, ANP's senators, PTI-backed Saifullah Abro, and JUI-F's Ahmed Khan also supported the bill. In a surprise move, Abro refrained from joining the protest and later announced his resignation from the Senate.
Speaking on the NA floor, the PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that following the 27th Constitutional Amendment, the judiciary will no longer have the authority to take suo motu actions.
He noted that the PPP and PML-N had faced the "consequences" of suo motu powers, especially during the tenure of former Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Chaudhry.
'We have witnessed prime ministers and ministers being humiliated under the pretext of suo motu. The judiciary even used this authority to regulate the prices of tomatoes and potatoes," Bilawal added.
"We have seen a Chief Justice use this power to initiate a dam project. But from now on, there will be no suo motu."
The PPP chairman said that the 26th Constitutional Amendment was passed with maximum consensus, a process he said reflected the spirit of democratic cooperation.
He added that Maulana Fazlur Rehman played a key role in engaging Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and other opposition parties to build agreement on the amendment, even seeking their approval for participation in the vote.
Bilawal said that the previous constitutional change created constitutional benches instead of a constitutional court, as the then-chief justice could not assume the court's leadership.
"This time, through the 27th Amendment, we are establishing a proper constitutional court," he stated, adding that the reform would further strengthen the judicial system.
He also condemned the recent wave of terrorist attacks, urging political parties and citizens to stand united against the threat of extremism.
'We may have political or ideological differences, but the entire nation must unite against terrorism,' Bilawal said, adding that militants were once again attempting to destabilise the country.
He recalled that Pakistan's military, civil society, and citizens had previously defeated terrorism through immense sacrifices, asserting that the country would 'once again overcome the menace.'
'Pakistan achieved what the entire world could not in Afghanistan - defeating terrorists on our own soil,' Bilawal remarked, paying tribute to the martyrs who laid down their lives for peace.
The PPP chairman also revealed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had decided to appoint the army chief as field marshal as part of the government's efforts to enhance the country's defence structure.
He said the post of field marshal would be constitutionally protected under Article 243, alongside other defence-related amendments soon to be introduced.
'Constitution-making derives its strength from consensus,' Bilawal noted, recalling that the 1973 Constitution was passed with unanimous agreement among all parties, while the 18th Amendment was enacted after PML-N and PPP jointly defeated dictatorship and restored democracy.
As the National Assembly session began on Wednesday, NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq referred to the agenda on the 27th Amendment bill and gave the floor to PkMAP chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai.
Addressing the lower house, Achakzai criticised the government, saying it was formed under 'Form 47' and questioned the legitimacy of members who had narrowly won elections.
He challenged whether such a parliament should have the authority to amend the Constitution. Achakzai tore a copy of the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill in the House.
During the session, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq once again offered opposition parties to hold dialogue with the government. "As speaker of the National Assembly, I am ready to facilitate negotiations between the government and the opposition. If both sides sit together, solutions will emerge," he added.
The NA speaker reiterated that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had repeatedly invited the opposition for talks, offering to facilitate dialogue to find solutions.
"Even if nothing comes out on the first day, continuing talks will yield results. My role is to bring the government and opposition to the negotiation table," said Sadiq.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, while replying to the NA speaker's dialogue offer, said the party 'never gave up on dialogue'.