Cabinet nods ‘committee’s approved constitutional amendment draft’

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Sunday approved the proposed draft of the 26th constitutional amendment, which was earlier approved by the parliament’s special committee headed by Pakistan People’s Party MNA Syed Khurshid Shah.

The cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, was held in Islamabad, where the law minister presented a detailed briefing on the proposed amendment.

The cabinet approved the draft proposed by the coalition government, which includes input from the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). The prime minister expressed his gratitude to the coalition party leaders for their support.

PM Sharif said that the cabinet had made a key decision for the development and prosperity of Pakistan, aimed at improving the country’s current conditions. “I congratulate the entire nation on the cabinet’s approval of the 26th constitutional amendment,” he said.

A statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office further quoted him as saying that the cabinet had acted in the “country’s best interest”, adhering to its commitment to national development and public welfare.

He said that with the grace of Allah, after achieving economic stability, the country had reached a milestone in ensuring constitutional stability and the rule of law. The prime minister vowed to continue working for the nation’s development, prosperity, and stability, as promised.

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PM Sharif also acknowledged the efforts of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister of Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Adviser to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah and Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ataullah Tarar.

Following the meeting, Federal Minister Musadik Malik said that the government had approved the draft amendment, which had been jointly prepared by the PPP, the government, and other coalition parties.

Earlier, Prime Minister Sharif met with President Asif Ali Zardari to hold detailed consultations on the constitutional amendment and to seek his confidence on the matter.

Meanwhile, Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar told the media that the constitutional amendment draft will be presented in Parliament today.

“This is the same draft that was previously approved by the parliamentary committee,” he said.

He said that the draft of the constitutional amendment consists of 26 points, and political parties have reached an agreement on it.

He said that Syed Khursheed Shah showed great patience throughout the process, while Bilawal Bhutto Zardari made significant efforts, including holding continuous meetings with Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

“Today, the cabinet approved the draft, which includes five points proposed by the JUI-F,” he said.

One of the key proposals, he said, is to establish a one-year timeline for reports from the Islamic Ideological Council. All the amendments passed by the special committee have been incorporated into the draft, he said.

Tarar announced said that the JUI-F has proposed five points in the amendment, addressing issues related to Shariat Court judges eligible for appointment to the Supreme Court.

He said that a specific clause has been inserted to clarify the eligibility of these judges. Additionally, he said, ambiguities surrounding the appeals process from the Shariat Court to the Supreme Court have been resolved.

All the amendments passed by the special committee are included in the draft.

The law minister said that a mechanism has also been introduced to establish constitutional benches at both the federal and provincial levels. Provincial assemblies, he said, have been given the option to establish such benches in their respective high courts. If 51 per cent of the provincial assembly approves a bill, such benches could be established in provinces, he said.

He said that the Judicial Commission will now consist of the chief justice of Pakistan, four senior judges, two members of the National Assembly, and two members of the Senate. The law minister and the Attorney General for Pakistan will also be part of the commission, he said.

The minister said that the tenure of the chief Justice of Pakistan has been set at three years. “If a chief justice reaches the age of 65 before completing the three-year term, he/she will retire. If they complete the three-year tenure before turning 65, they will retire at the end of that period,” he said adding that Supreme Court judge Justice Mansoor Ali Shah’s current tenure exceeds three years.