Constitutional amendments not on Senate, NA sessions' agenda

Important sessions of the National Assembly and the Senate, at which a constitutional package and amendments related to the extension in the tenure of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Qazi Faez Isa are likely to be presented, will be held later in the afternoon today, while Senate Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, on the other hand, has said that the amendments will be passed if the government has the required numbers, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Saturday.

The Senate session will begin at 4:00 PM. However, the constitutional amendments are not on the agenda.

Constitutional amendments not on agenda

Constitutional amendments are not on the agenda as the National Assembly (NA) and the Senate will separately meet today.

However, as per the supplementary agenda, the government is likely to move motions for constitutional amendments and legislation. 

The NA will meet at 3:00 in the afternoon, while the Senate, an hour later, at 4:00 PM.

There is also a possibility that the amendments bill be tabled in both houses of parliament tomorrow.

PM Shehbaz convenes PML-N parliamentary party meeting

Meanwhile, in order to take PML-N’s parliamentary party on board on the constitutional amendments, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has convened the party’s meeting at 7:00 PM today at the PM House.

The meeting will be followed by a dinner.

Numbers game remains a mystery despite govt claims to contrary

Although the government has claimed that it has the support of the required number of parliamentarians for the passage of constitutional amendments, still it appears to be an uphill task for it.

The government requires the support of two-third of the NA for the purpose. In other words, of a total 336 members of the National Assembly (MNAs) in the House, it needs 224 of them to vote for these amendments.  

However, presently the strength of the Lower House of the parliament stands at 312.  

There are a total of 213 MNAs, who sit on the treasury benches: of whom 111 are from the PML-N and 69 from the PPP.

22 MNAs of the MQM-P, five of PML-Q, four of IPP, and one MNA each of PML-Zia, National Party and Balochistan Awami Party are also included in the coalition government.   

The opposition parties’ strength in the NA stands at 101: of whom 80 are from the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), six are independents, and eight belong to the JUI-F.      

Likewise, BNP, Majlise Wahdatul Muslimeen and Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party have one MNA each who sit on the opposition benches.

If eight JUI-F MNAs throw their weight behind the government, the government’s strength will rise to 221; but it will still be three MNAs short of a two-third majority.

And if any member of the SIC or any other opposition party supports the amendments, he will lose his membership, but his vote will be counted.

However, of total eight independent MNAs, who sit on the opposition benches, if any single of them votes for these amendments, he or she will not be de-seated.

These independents are PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Leader of the Opposition in the NA Omar Ayub Khan, Ali Asghar Khan, Aslam Ghuman, Usman Ali, Zahoor Hussain Qureshi, Aurangzeb Khichi and Mubarak Zeb.

The eader of the House Ishaq Dar’s motion for the adjournment of the question-answer session is on the agenda for today’s session.

The government, on the other hand, has claimed that it has the required numbers for getting these amendments passed.

Also on Saturday, while talking to reporters outside a court in Karachi, Senate Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has said that the bill to be presented today is related to reforms. “Speculations are being made whether we have the required support for the passage of this and other bills today,” he said.

Gilani matained "We will not table the legilation if we don't have the numbers to get it approved."

He claimed all cases filed against him were fake and were part of a political witch-hunt. “None of the witnesses in these cases ever mentioned my name,” Gilani added.

The Senate chairman said that the House had unanimously passed a resolution in which the arrests of the PTI MNAs from inside the parliament were condemned.

Gilani, who is also a senior PPP leader, also said that he was not in favour of imposing a ‘governor’s rule’ in KP.

He said he had deep respect for JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and he would not utter a word against him.

He was of the view that the general elections before time were not a solution to any issue. “Rather these will make matters further worse.”

Making it clear that no single party could run the country’s affairs single-handedly, the Senate chairman stressed the need for unity to steer the country out of crises.

CJP to get double extension, says Fawad

Former federal information minister Fawad Chaudhary said that the government wanted to amend constitution only to safe them.

Taking to media persons in Lahore on SAtuday, Fawad Chaudhary said that after these constitutional amendments Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Qazi Faez Isa will get double extension.

He termed the current government a creation of Form-47.

He said that current government wanted to influence judiciary through these constitutional amendments while on the other hand required numbers are being completed after kidnapping lawmakers.

Fawad Chaudhary said that judiciary is the only institution which is functioning independently and performing their duties without any fear and pressure.

Reporters: Usman Khan, Awais Kiyani and Mumtaz Jamali