ISLAMABAD – Federal Minister for Law Azam Nazeer Tarar presented the 26th Constitutional Amendment Bill in the Senate on Sunday.
The Senate session, chaired by Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani, began with the recitation of the Holy Quran. Leader of the House Ishaq Dar moved a motion to suspend the question hour and routine proceedings, which was unanimously approved.
In his speech, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said that a committee was formed on the speaker’s direction to review the constitutional amendment bill, and it was thoroughly examined. The bill has been included in the supplementary agenda, so it should be taken up.
Azam Nazeer Tarar presented the motion for the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which was unanimously passed. He then explained that the procedure for appointing judges was introduced in the 18th Constitutional Amendment to ensure transparency in the appointment of judges to the higher judiciary, and a parliamentary committee was formed for this purpose.
He added that the parliamentary committee was given the authority to block any nomination. A petition was filed in the Supreme Court regarding this, and the 19th Amendment was hastily introduced, changing the composition of the commission, resulting in members leaning toward a particular institution.
The Law Minister mentioned that bar councils expressed concerns about the appointment process of higher judiciary judges, and the Supreme Court Bar Association demanded an amendment to Article 175/3 of the Constitution.
Azam Nazeer Tarar proposed that the Judicial Commission should be headed by Supreme Court judges and include four members of Parliament. It was suggested that the Chief Justice, along with judges from the constitutional court, be part of the commission.
The Federal Minister for Law stated that the authority to form constitutional benches will rest with the Judicial Commission, which will include the Chief Justice and four senior Supreme Court judges, as well as members of Parliament.
He also highlighted that the 18th Amendment was passed with broad consensus, and the cabinet has decided to vote in favor of JUI-F’s amendments.
Additionally, he mentioned that the Speaker of the National Assembly would propose a non-Muslim representative.
At the request of JUI’s Maulana Atta Rehman, a prayer break was observed during the Senate session.
More to follow….
