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ISLAMABAD: Shehbaz Sharif-led government attains number game in the Parliament, passing the 26th Constitutional Amendment bill from the Senate and National Assembly with a two-thirds majority late Sunday night.
The amendment tabled by Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar introduces significant reforms to the appointment process and tenure of the Chief Justice of Pakistan and the formation of new constitutional benches in the Supreme Court and high courts.
The bill sailed through the Senate with a two-thirds majority — 65 in favor — and was presented in the National Assembly, which after several delays passed at 5 am, becoming law.
In the NA, a total of 225 lawmakers cast their in favor, while 12 legislators voted against it. Treasury benches secured support from JUI-F’s eight members while six independent and PTI-backed candidates — Usman Ali, Aurangzeb Khichi, Mubarak Zeb, and Zahoor Qureshi — voted in favor of amendments along with PML-Q’s Chaudhry Ilyas.
Following the parliamentary procedures, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday sent his advice to President Asif Ali Zardari for his assent on the newly enacted Constitution (Twenty-Sixth Amendment) Act, 2024, which contains 27 clauses.
After the passage of the first clause, the PTI members walked out of the assembly. The remaining clauses of the bill were passed smoothly and swiftly without any resistance from opposition members.
Declaring it a milestone in the country’s history, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the 26th Constitutional Amendment Bill passed by the parliament would safeguard the future of Pakistan.
While addressing the National Assembly after the legislation passed in the wee hours of Monday, the PM said “The 26th constitutional amendment is not just an amendment but an example of national solidarity and unity. A new sun will rise, emanating across the nation.”
The premier said that with the passage of the bill, the unfulfilled dream of the Charter of Democracy (CoD) had been realized which was signed by Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif in 2006 and also endorsed by Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
Responding to criticism by an opposition member, the prime minister said the legislation was made by the votes of allied parties and the independent candidates, not by any turncoats.
“The 26th constitutional amendment had ascertained the supremacy of the parliament,” he asserted.
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