Constitutional courts ‘dropped’ from proposed amendments

In a significant development, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) have dropped their demand for constitutional courts, instead agreeing with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) on the formation of a constitutional bench.

Consensus on Judicial Reforms

After hours-long discussions at Jati Umra in Lahore, PML-N, PPP, and JUI-F reached a consensus on judicial reforms. Ishaq Dar stated that the reforms will ensure speedy justice, while Fazlur Rehman emphasized efforts to agree on other points.

Key Developments

• Maulana Fazl to Share Draft with PTI: Fazlur Rehman will share the new proposed draft with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) today.
• Special Parliamentary Committee Meeting: A special parliamentary committee, chaired by PPP’s Khurshid Shah, began today to finalize the draft of the proposed 26th amendment.
• Supreme Court Dismisses Plea: The Supreme Court dismissed a plea against the proposed 26th constitutional amendment after the petitioner’s lawyer requested its withdrawal.

Stakeholders’ Reactions

• Senator Irfan Siddiqui: “Today is the day of big and positive news. Hopefully, all drafts will be merged into one.”
• Khurshid Shah: “This session has been fixed today for this business. We will see when the draft comes to me.”

Next Steps

The federal government is expected to table the constitutional amendment in the National Assembly today. With consensus reached among major parties, Pakistan’s judicial landscape is poised for significant reforms.

Also Read: Pakistan’s 26th Constitutional Amendment: A Step Towards Judicial Reforms