The government has once again faced difficulties in securing opposition backing for the proposed “constitutional package,” as Sunday’s much-anticipated National Assembly session was adjourned shortly after it began. The session, delayed by 12 and a half hours, has now been rescheduled for today (Monday) at 12:30 pm.
The session, initially set for 11:30 am, experienced multiple delays throughout the day, with meetings being held between government officials and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman. These efforts aimed to gain the JUI-F’s crucial support for the constitutional amendment.
When the session finally began with Ayaz Sadiq presiding, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmaker Bilal Kayani moved to suspend several rules of procedure for the sessions on September 15 and 16. The motion was passed, and the session was adjourned until today without any discussion of the constitutional amendments.
Constitutional Amendment Deliberations and Challenges
The proposed amendments, which include increasing the age limit of judges in superior courts and the formation of a “constitutional court,” are set to be presented today in an effort to gain consensus. A special parliamentary committee, headed by Syed Khurshid Shah of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), held deliberations with Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members to finalize the amendments.
According to Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, the session was adjourned due to a lack of the required two-thirds majority needed to pass the amendments. Asif stated that Maulana Fazlur Rehman had yet to commit to supporting the package, and ongoing efforts are being made to secure his backing.
Opposition’s Conditional Support and Government’s Struggles
Sources revealed that Maulana Fazlur Rehman raised objections to certain clauses, including the extension of judges’ tenure and their retirement age, creating obstacles for the government. The opposition and some of the government’s allies remain divided on these issues, with Maulana becoming the focal point of discussions.
The ruling coalition needs 224 votes in the National Assembly and 64 votes in the Senate to pass the amendments. In the National Assembly, the government has 211 members and needs 13 more votes to achieve the required majority.
Proposed Amendments and Political Landscape
Although the government has refrained from revealing full details of the proposed amendments, it clarified that the package is not person-specific. Key proposals include the establishment of a constitutional court, a merger of judicial and parliamentary commissions responsible for judge selection, and amendments to Article 63-A concerning the disqualification of parliamentarians on defection grounds.
Additional amendments propose changes to Articles 51, 63, 175, 181, and 187 of the Constitution. These include increasing representation in the Balochistan Assembly from 65 to 81 seats and forming a constitutional court to hear petitions related to Articles 184, 185, and 186.
As the government continues to seek consensus, today’s session may determine the future of these constitutional changes.
