Two Senators Made a Surprise Appearance to Secure the Constitutional Amendment. Senators Naseema Ehsan and Qasim Rojhan, both from the Balochistan National Party (BNP), unexpectedly arrived at the Parliament House to play a crucial role in passing the 26th constitutional amendment. With a total of 96 members in the house, the government needed at least 64 votes for a two-thirds majority.
The government was confident of securing 63 votes after reaching a consensus with Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam. This included support from:
- PPP: 24 members
- PML-N: 19 members
- JUI: 5 members
- BAP: 4 members
- MQM: 3 members
- PML-Q: 1 member
- Independents: 4 members (Faisal Vawda, Abdul Qadir, Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, and Mohsin Naqvi)
As the Senate session commenced, Ehsan and Rojhan made their entrance in white vehicles. BNP chief Akhtar Mengal had previously expressed concern over their well-being, stating on October 16 that Ehsan’s son had been “abducted” and she was confined to her apartment, while Rojhan had gone missing after a dialysis appointment.
On October 17, Ehsan appeared in the Senate, emotionally advocating for better methods of governance. Meanwhile, Mengal had told reporters just hours before that he was unaware of the Senators’ whereabouts.
As the two Senators stepped out of their cars, they were immediately surrounded by reporters. Rojhan, visibly frail and using a cane, required assistance into a wheelchair, while Ehsan attempted to avoid the press. When approached, she asserted that if she had been abducted, she wouldn’t be present in parliament.
With Ehsan and Rojhan’s votes counted, the government’s total reached 65, securing the necessary two-thirds majority to pass the amendments.
