Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif will attend the National Assembly session to cast his vote in favour of 27th Constitutional Amendment on Wednesday (today).
The National Assembly will likely approve the amendment after clause-by-clause debate. The bill was tabled yesterday by Law Minister Azam Tarar.
The government requires 224 votes for the passage of amendment and currently enjoys the support of 237 members.
According to sources, the government is eager to establish the Federal Constitutional Court as soon as possible. Once the president signs the amendment, practical steps toward setting up the court can begin immediately.
Sources indicate that if the bill is passed today, the judges of the Federal Constitutional Court could be administered their oaths tomorrow (Thursday), marking the court’s formal establishment.
Under the 27th Constitutional Amendment, the president will appoint judges of the Federal Constitutional Court on the prime minister’s advice. The Senate approved the bill on Moday.
Meanwhile, the opposition has also introduced its own constitutional amendments, which it plans to present as a separate bill. It has already submitted these amendments to the National Assembly Secretariat, but the government has decided to reject them by a two-thirds majority and remains confident about the smooth passage of its own amendment today.
It may be recalled that the opposition protested during proceedings yesterday when Law Minister Azam Tarar tabled 27th Amendment bill. He argued that the suo motu (self-initiated) powers had become a menace in the past, and that clearly defining the limits of judicial powers would make the justice process more transparent and effective.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif remarked that the amendment was not directed against any political party, but rather aimed at putting the justice system on the right track.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan argued that the amendment was against the basic structure of democracy, while JUI-F’s Shahida Akhtar Ali maintained that several provisions in the bill were included without public consultation.