ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker Amir Dogar has confirmed that the party has received the draft of proposed constitutional amendments, as reported by ARY News. The draft was presented during a recent committee meeting, where it was decided to postpone the National Assembly session originally scheduled for yesterday until after the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. Consequently, discussions regarding the constitutional amendments will also be delayed.
Dogar stated that the PTI plans to consult its political committee and senior leadership regarding the draft, emphasizing the need for further discussions. He criticized the government’s proposal, claiming it is rife with ambiguities and lacks clarity.
Additionally, the People’s Party and the federal government have shared their drafts with the committee, with more sessions planned to achieve consensus, although this process may take time.
The development follows remarks from PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, who asserted that the government would struggle to garner support from party members for any constitutional amendments. He highlighted that no government has achieved the two-thirds majority required for such amendments since 1984, and criticized the timing of the proposed changes, particularly those affecting judicial transfers, calling it an assault on the judiciary.
In a related legal challenge, a petition was filed in the Supreme Court contesting the proposed amendments, specifically targeting Article 179 concerning the retirement age of judges. The petition argues that these amendments violate fundamental rights and threaten judicial independence, seeking to nullify them and prevent executive interference. The federal government and key legislative leaders have been named as respondents in the case.
