Government Fails to Complete the Number Game, Unable to Present Constitutional Amendment Bill in National Assembly Again.
The National Assembly session, led by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, faced significant challenges regarding the proposed constitutional amendments. Defense Minister Khawaja Asif stated that discussions about the draft amendments had been ongoing, but emphasized that no final version would be presented until the Cabinet approved it. He advocated for consensus on the amendments and urged against politicizing the issue.
In contrast, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Qaiser expressed disappointment over the handling of the situation, criticizing the government for undermining the dignity of Parliament. He accused the government of attempting to pass amendments secretly and without proper consultation, likening it to a theft. Qaiser highlighted that if legislation is to be introduced, it should be done transparently and with input from relevant stakeholders.
Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar responded to Qaiser’s accusations by asserting that there was nothing new in the proposed amendments and that they were part of a broader initiative aimed at judicial reform. He noted that discussions were ongoing and that efforts were being made to secure necessary support for the amendments.
Ultimately, due to a lack of sufficient votes, the government was unable to present the constitutional amendment bill in the National Assembly as planned. Khawaja Asif indicated that they did not have the required numbers for passage and would continue seeking support from various political factions, including Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s party.
