The government will convene a National Assembly session in the first week of October to present and seek approval for the controversial “Constitutional Package”, government’s legal adviser Barrister Aqeel Malik said on Sunday.
The package is a set of amendments to the Constitution, one of which will aim to fix the tenure of the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) for three years.
The legislation was expected to be introduced in the National Assembly and the Senate after the government failed to table it as previously scheduled, despite hectic efforts to garner the required support.
PPP Sindh President Nisa Khurro had said that his party leadership was making efforts to create consensus among the political parties on the constitutional amendments, saying “efforts will continue until a consensus is reached”.
Speaking on a TV channel program on Sunday, Barrister Aqeel said that approving the package is an “ongoing process” and stressed the need for consensus before it is presented in parliament.
“When you’re seeking a broader consensus with the major parties… we do not want anyone to have any disagreement when it is presented,” he said. “It is under discussion.”
Aqeel confirmed that of the 55 amendments proposed, amendments to Articles 8 (laws inconsistent with or in derogation of fundamental rights to be void) and Article 243 (command of Armed Forces) had been withdrawn.
