On Monday, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif submitted a reference to the National Assembly speaker, Ayaz Sadiq, against party lawmaker Adil Bazai for failing to vote on the 26th Constitutional Amendment. The speaker, who also belongs to PML-N, has sent a letter to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), urging Bazai’s disqualification and the declaration of his seat as vacant.
Bazai, who was absent from the crucial voting session, had initially joined PML-N but later switched allegiance to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The speaker has called for immediate action to remove him from his parliamentary seat.
The government’s narrow approval of the 26th Constitutional Amendment on Monday grants lawmakers increased authority in appointing top judges, many of whom have recently issued rulings in favor of opposition leader Imran Khan. The successful passage of these amendments marks the second consecutive “working weekend” for the ruling coalition, as they pushed through the highly anticipated ‘Constitutional Package’ with a two-thirds majority in both houses.
The 26th Amendment introduces significant judicial reforms. Key provisions include the curtailment of the Supreme Court’s suo motu powers, a fixed three-year tenure for the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), and granting the prime minister authority to appoint the next CJP from the top three most senior judges of the Supreme Court.
The Senate passed the 22-clause bill with a two-thirds majority on Sunday, followed by the National Assembly’s approval of an amended version containing 27 clauses, incorporating Senate recommendations, after a marathon session that continued into early Monday morning.
