Legislation that proposes a set of constitutional amendments, including the extension of the term of the top judge, is the much-discussed Constitutional Package.
Experts are concerned that the proposed amendments would virtually undermine the judiciary’s independence by limiting the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction to civil and criminal appeals and petitions.
A group of lawyers, led by Abid Shahid Zuberi, a former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, filed a petition in September to prevent the government from introducing the bill to parliament.
The SC registrar’s office previously returned the petition, but it was scheduled for hearing today in a supplementary cause list. Boss Equity of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa will lead the seat hearing the case, different individuals being Judges Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Shahid Bilal Hassan.
The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) expressed the hope of agreeing on a shared draft with the PPP, the partner of the ruling coalition. At the same time, consensus on the amendment took another step today.
The committee, which is headed by Khursheed Shah of the PPP and includes representatives from all parties, including the PTI, is preparing three distinct drafts of the constitutional package: one from the government, one from the PPP, and the third from the JUI-F. Following a raid by plainclothesmen to apprehend PTI men from Parliament House, the speaker of the National Assembly established it as a means of achieving reconciliation among lawmakers, particularly between the PTI and the government.
Yesterday’s meeting of the parliamentary committee saw major political parties share drafts with one another, but only the PPP made its proposals public.
Even though no decision was made, the unfinished drafts were discussed by the parliamentary committee.
The special committee decided today to set up a subcommittee to look at the JUI-F and PPP drafts during the meeting. After that, the meeting was moved to Monday at 3:30 p.m.
In an interview with the media, PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui stated that the sub-committee, which was established under the direction of Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, would finalize its decision and make recommendations to the special committee within two days.
He stated that the JUI-F and the PTI would be represented on the subcommittee, and he added that the amendment was not political but rather for the parliament’s supremacy.
Separately, JUI-F Senator Karman Murtaza stated to the media that the only point of contention between PPP and his party regarding the constitutional amendment was the Constitutional Court.
Murtaza stated, “The primary conversation that is taking place is concerned with the Constitutional Court,” adding that his party believed a constitutional court was unnecessary given the number of cases.
He stated, “You can make benches in the Supreme Court […] that prioritize constitutional cases.”
After the meeting at Zardari House, PPP leaders Syed Naveed Qamar and Murtaza Wahab met Senator Murtaza, according to a post on the PPP’s X account.
Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Chairman of the PPP, also shared the draft of his party’s position on X and stated that he was having a “meaningful dialogue” with the JUI-F to reach a consensus on the draft.
“We hope a joint draft can serve as the foundation for a larger political party consensus to pass the 26th constitutional amendment.”
Barrister Gohar Khan, Chairman of the PTI, told reporters that the party had received both drafts and would present its recommendations following consideration.
