Pakistan Cabinet to convene to approve constitutional amendment bill
The Hindu
Pakistan cabinet to review and approve 26th Constitutional Amendment draft, aiming to dilute judiciary power, amid political controversy.
The Pakistan cabinet will meet on Sunday (October 20, 2024) to review and approve the final draft of the 'much-touted' 26th Constitutional Amendment.
The government has not officially shared the details of the constitutional amendment with the media or discussed them publically, but according to reports, its alleged objective is to dilute the power of an independent judiciary.
Reports indicate that the government plans to raise the retirement age for judges and fix the tenure of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
Former Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah told Samaa News Channel that the cabinet would approve the constitutional package, which would then be presented to Parliament for approval.
The cabinet will convene at 2:30 p.m., followed by a Senate session at 3:00 p.m. and a National Assembly meeting at 6:00 p.m., the channel reported.
The two houses of the Parliament should separately pass the bill with a two-thirds majority for it to become law. Earlier, the government lacked the required numbers in both the Senate and the National Assembly. However, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has claimed it now has the support to reach the required numbers.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), in a late-night talk with the media along with Peoples Party Pakistan (PPP) chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, said his party would support the 26th constitutional amendment after receiving a response from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and sought a day for further deliberation.