Government and Maulana Fazlur Rehman Reach Agreement on Key Constitutional Amendments
ISLAMABAD: After extensive negotiations, details of the 26th Constitutional Amendment have been finalized, according to ARY News. The amendments, which address several key constitutional issues, have been significantly modified following demands from Maulana Fazlur Rehman, leader of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F (JUI-F).
Key Agreements:
– Amendments Withdrawn: The government and JUI-F chief have agreed to withdraw several proposed changes. Notably, amendments concerning military courts in Articles 51 and 200 have been removed from the draft. Additionally, a proposal to increase the retirement age for judges to 68 years has been scrapped.
– Constitutional Court Establishment: One of the central agreements is the creation of a Constitutional Court. This court will be led by a retired Supreme Court judge, with the initial appointment made by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister. Subsequent appointments of judges will come from the five high courts based on eligibility criteria.
– Constitutional Court Structure: The new Constitutional Court will consist of five to seven judges and will be responsible for hearing cases related to constitutional matters.
– Article 63-A Amendment: An agreement has been reached to amend Article 63-A, which pertains to the counting of floor-crossing votes. This change will address issues related to the behavior of members crossing party lines.
– Restoration of the 18th Amendment: The 19th Amendment, which had altered the 18th Constitutional Amendment, will be abolished to restore the 18th Amendment to its original form.
– Judicial Appointments: There is also an agreement to merge the judicial commission and the parliamentary committee responsible for appointing judges, streamlining the process.
These developments mark a significant step in the ongoing efforts to reform Pakistan’s constitutional and judicial framework, reflecting a compromise between the government and opposition parties, particularly JUI-F.
