Pakistan Senate Passes 26th Constitutional Amendment Bill, Aiming For Judicial Reform

The Pakistan Senate passed the 26th constitutional Amendment Bill with a two-thirds majority on Sunday, as per media reports.

Opposition Pushback

The bill aimed at ensuring quick justice had received push back from opposition, mainly from Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, which held various protests alleging that the bill would undermine the judiciary’s powers.

Bill Details

As per Ary News, Minister of Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar presented the bill in the Senate, which received 65 votes in its favour. Four members voted against the bill. The bill has 27 clauses, and amendments to various Articles of the constitution have been proposed. The amendment suggested by Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has been incorporated. JUI-F had earlier protested against the bill but was later convinced by the ruling government.

Next Steps

The bill will now be presented at the Pakistan National Assembly.

Cabinet Approval

Earlier, the bill was approved by the federal Cabinet on Sunday during a meeting presided over by the country’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, as per ARY News. Prior to this, the Prime Minister updated the cabinet on his meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari.

Crucial Discussions

Earlier, Shehbaz Sharif and President Zardari had a crucial discussion prior to the cabinet meeting, and the meeting was also attended by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar. The meeting deliberated on the ultimate plan for enacting the package of amendments.

Ruling Coalition’s Resolve

As per ARY News, the ruling coalition is resolved to approve the constitutional modification today at all costs, citing sources. Following the cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister said that the decision was made in the best interests of the country for public welfare and prosperity.

Statement from the Prime Minister

“After economic stability, a milestone has been achieved for constitutional stability and the rule of law,” Shehbaz Sharif said. “We will continue to work hard for national development, prosperity, and stability as promised to the people.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Newsx staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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