President signs 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill into law

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has signed the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill after approved by both houses of Parliament.

With the president’s assent, the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill has now become part of the Constitution.

The Senate passed the controversial 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill for the second time amid strong protests from the opposition benches.

Announcing the result, Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani said the bill received 64 votes in favour and four against.

“The motion is therefore carried by not less than two-thirds of the total membership of the Senate, and consequently, the bill stands passed,” he declared.

Earlier, Senate witnessed heated scenes as lawmakers voted clause by clause on the contentious 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill while opposition senators shouted slogans of “na manzoor” (unacceptable), forcing Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani to repeatedly call for order in the house.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar re-tabled the bill in the Upper House after the National Assembly passed it with certain amendments a day earlier. The legislation, already approved once by the Senate earlier this week, required a fresh vote to incorporate the latest changes.

Earlier, the National Assembly passed the 27th Constitutional Amendment with a two-thirds majority. A total of 234 members voted in favour and four against, while the opposition boycotted the proceedings.