During a recent parliamentary panel meeting, the government’s much-anticipated constitutional package, the 26th Constitution Amendment Bill, was revealed, shedding light on the ruling coalition’s dedication to addressing what it considers a “historic wrong.” The draft bill, crafted by the PPP, also emerged during this meeting, indicating a concerted effort to make significant changes.
Furthermore, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, a key figure in any potential passage of the amendment, emphasized the importance of reaching a consensus among political forces before presenting the bill for a vote in parliament.
The federal government presented an “incomplete” draft of constitutional amendments before the National Assembly’s special committee, proposing the establishment of a Federal Constitutional Court (FCC). The draft includes a retirement age of 68 years for the FCC’s chief justice, with a fixed three-year term if the top judge has previously served in the Supreme Court.
Additionally, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) draft suggests that the chief justice of the Supreme Court should serve a three-year term or retire at the age of 65, whichever comes first.
Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar presented the 26th constitutional amendment before the committee, but members immediately criticized it as incomplete. The government’s draft primarily focuses on judiciary-related amendments, with further guidance on other amendments expected to be presented in the next meeting.
It is worth noting that the Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarian (PPPP) released its own version of the proposed amendments to the media, highlighting differences from the PML-N draft, particularly in seeking to establish similar courts at the provincial level as well.
Other parties, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), are also working on their drafts, with PTI expected to present theirs soon, marking a step toward creating a more collaborative environment and raising hopes for a consensus on a final, unified draft.
