Daily Times

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Law and Justice, Barrister Aqeel Malik, on Monday said that inclusion of climate change as a constitutional right was the landmark step in the 26th Constitutional Amendment. In addition, the 26th Amendment will play a crucial role in strengthening the judicial system, he said while speaking to a private news channel. “This will be the first parliament in the world to grant constitutional recognition to climate change,” he said. He further noted that the amendment has been unfairly criticized, with its true meaning misunderstood and the government’s real intent misinterpreted. “He said that work on the 26th amendment has been ongoing since March and April. Several meetings were held involving the Law Minister, Information Minister, and coalition partners to ensure broad consensus, he added. In response to a question, he said that that Maulana Fazlur Rehman requested additional time to ensure broad consultation, which was agreed upon. Consultations regarding the age-related provisions are ongoing, with a final decision expected after input from the legal community and other stakeholders, he said. “This was the right approach as all stakeholders will now have a chance to provide their feedback. We expect recommendations from the legal community within a week, and after reaching a consensus with the opposition, we aim to present the amendment in the first week of October,” he added.