The Senate is set to meet today to re-approve the 27th Constitutional Amendment, with the government confident it has secured the numbers needed for passage.
Officials say the required 64 votes are in place following fresh outreach to opposition senators.
The Senate will reconvene today to take up the 27th Constitutional Amendment once again. According to government sources, preparations for re-approval of the amendment — this time with further changes added by the National Assembly — are fully complete.
Members of the treasury benches have been instructed to ensure their presence in the session, given that constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority in the upper house. A total of 64 votes are needed for the amendment to pass.
Govt secures numbers after new outreach
Government insiders say the “number game is complete,” with assurances received not only from coalition senators but also from those who previously supported the amendment in the first round of voting.
In addition to the two opposition senators who backed the bill earlier — PTI’s Saifullah Abro and JUI’s Ahmed Khan — the government has contacted several other opposition lawmakers to shore up support. Sources say these fresh engagements have strengthened confidence that the amendment will comfortably clear the Senate.
During today’s sitting, the law minister is expected to present the amendments approved by the National Assembly a day before for final approval in the upper house.
On Wednesday, the National Assembly passed the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill with a two-thirds majority, as 234 members voted in its favour after its clause-by-clause approval. Four members voted against the bill.
According to the details, four clauses from the version of the bill earlier approved by the Senate have been deleted, three clauses have been amended, and one new clause has been added.
Under the approved changes, the current chief justice will continue to be known as the chief justice of Pakistan. Furthermore, the president, auditor general, and chief election commissioner will now take their oaths before the chief justice of Pakistan.
