ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Farooq H. Naik on Tuesday said that the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill is expected to secure a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly today.
Senator Naik, who also chairs the Parliament’s Joint Committee on Law and Justice, clarified that Senator Saif Abro voted for the amendment without any external pressure. “Saif Abro said in the house that he has voted for the Field Marshall,” Naik remarked.
He criticized the Opposition for boycotting the Senate session during the clause-wise approval of the bill, saying they should have voted against it rather than walking out.
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Naik emphasized that the President represents the state, not the government, and appreciated the Prime Minister’s decision to forgo any exemption under the amendment, calling it “the right decision.”
He further disclosed that some committee members had expressed reservations about MQM’s proposed local government amendment bill, highlighting the need for further discussion.
It is worth noting that the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill has already been passed by the Senate and is now tabled in the National Assembly for final approval.
Also Read : Parliament resumes debate on 27th constitutional amendment
he standing committees on law and justice of both the National Assembly and Senate convened a joint session on Sunday to continue deliberations on the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment bill.
The bill, tabled in the Senate on Saturday after federal cabinet approval, proposes the creation of a Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), reforms in the appointment process for high court judges, a higher cap on provincial cabinets, and changes to the military leadership structure.
Senator Farooq H. Naek and MNA Chaudhry Mahmood Bashir Virk are co-chairing the session, which is also expected to finalise the mechanism for transferring high court judges through the Judicial Commission of Pakistan, potentially without the consent of judges involved.
Nearly 80 percent of the bill, including key judicial reform clauses, was cleared in the previous session, while discussions on the field marshal’s status under Article 243 have been deferred.