To approve a constitutional amendment, the ruling coalition needs a “golden number” of 224 votes
Pakistan’s National Assembly will meet at 11 am today to vote on the 27th Constitutional Amendment. After two days of heated debate, the amendment passed the Senate on Monday with 64 votes.
The bill aims to establish a federal constitutional court (FCC) and grant the president permanent immunity, as well as life status for the rank of field marshal, amid criticism that the amendment will erode the independence of the judiciary.
The National Assembly is made up of 336 members, but with 10 seats currently vacant, the total number of sitting members rises to 326. To pass a constitutional amendment, the ruling coalition requires the “golden figure” of 224 votes.
Currently, the ruling alliance has the support of 237 members of the National Assembly. The PML-N is the largest party in the coalition with 125 members, followed by Muttahida Qaumi Movement with 22, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid with 5, Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party with 4 and one member each from Pakistan Muslim League-Zia and Balochistan Awami Party. The government is also supported by four independent members.
However, the National Party, part of the ruling coalition, decided not to vote in favor of the constitutional amendment.
The PPP, with 74 members, is the second largest party within the coalition. Your support has been crucial in helping the federal government achieve not only a simple majority but also a two-thirds majority when necessary.
On the other hand, the opposition benches only have 89 members in total. These include 75 independents, 10 members of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-Pakistan) and one member each of Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM), Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) and Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP).
Read: 27th Amendment Rushed Through Senate Amid Opposition Strike
Senate approves amendment
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar moved the motion for approval of the 27th Constitutional Amendment, which was adopted by majority vote. During the session chaired by Gillani, the law minister separately presented each clause of the bill for approval.
Members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) organized a strong protest during the process. They tore copies of the bill and gathered in front of the president’s dais, chanting anti-government slogans. Despite the commotion, the vote continued and was approved clause by clause.
PTI Senator Saifullah Abro did not join the protest and voted in favor of the amendment. JUI-F Senator Ahmed Khan and Senator Naseema Ehsan also supported the bill.
A joint meeting of the standing committees on law and justice of the National Assembly and the Senate approved the amendment bill with minor adjustments, amid an opposition boycott yesterday.
Briefing the House about the deliberations on the 27th Constitutional Amendment, Committee Chairman Farooq Hamid Naek said that the joint committee session included all members and special guests who proposed certain amendments.
