ISLAMABAD – The federal government is likely not to present the amendments to the Constitution in the National Assembly today as it is making efforts to break deadlock with opposition.
Reports said the federal cabinet meeting, which was scheduled for today, has been postponed, indicating that the bill will not be table in the parliament today.
A final decision to present the amendment package will only be made after achieving consensus in the special committee on constitutional amendments.
A deadlock continues to persist between the government and opposition parties regarding the constitutional amendments. The draft will be presented in the National Assembly and Senate only after consensus is reached on the amendments, local media reported.
Keeping in view the uncertain situation, PML-N leader and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz have also departed from Islamabad to Lahore.
The bill will be presented once a decision is made in the special committee and Maulana Fazlur Rehman is satisfied regarding the amendments.
Constitutional Amendment Package
Under the amendment package, Articles 51, 63, 175, 181, 184, 185, 186, 187 are to be amended, with the major part of the judicial reforms being the establishment of a Constitutional Court separate from the Supreme Court of Pakistan, which Chief Justice and four other judges would be appointed jointly by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan and the Parliamentary Committee on Law and Justice.
Other proposed changes in the constitution include role of the Supreme Court in Presidential references, transfer of High Court judges to other provinces, and reformation of the Defection Clause.
A part of the amendment also includes raising the number of Balochistan Assembly seats from 65 to 81.
Number Game in National Assembly and Senate
As for the number game in the National Assembly and Senate, the ruling coalition has 214 seats in the lower house where it requires 10 more votes to reach the target of 224. In Senate, the PML-N, PPP and their allies have 54 seats while they require 64.
So the government is short of seven votes even if Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman agrees to assure his 13 members in both houses of the parliament.
