ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s lower house of parliament is set to meet tomorrow on Sunday at 11:30 AM, while upper house Senate will convene at 4:00 PM on the same day to deliberate on proposed changes.
The proposed change, which seeks to institute a three-year term for the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), requires 224 votes in the National Assembly for approval. The ruling coalition is currently 12 votes short. If the JUI-F endorses the amendment, the government would still need to secure an additional four to five votes to ensure its passage.
As of Saturday, the government’s gambit to passing constitutional amendment remains uncertain, as it grapples with a significant vote shortfall. The amendment, which requires approval of at least two-thirds of lawmakers—approximately 224 out of 336 members in the house—currently faces hurdles due to a deficiency of around a dozen votes in both houses.
Despite this challenge, the ruling alliance is reportedly confident about securing all needed support. Although official agenda for the upcoming National Assembly session does not include the amendment, such items are often introduced through a supplementary agenda.
Opposition parties are strictly enforcing discipline among their members, but there are indications that the government has successfully swayed some PTI-allied lawmakers to switch their allegiance. The last moment efforts are underway to enlist support of JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
A report shared by local TV said two members from Central Punjab, associated with the Sunni Ittehad Council are expected to vote in favour of the amendment. Furthermore, support is anticipated from one member each from the former FATA region and South Punjab. Although these members are currently independent and sit with the opposition, they are expected to vote in favor.
