Key points in constitutional amendments draft

KARACHI: The draft for a series of constitutional amendments prepared by the Federal Law Minister has emerged, aimed at revising several key clauses within Pakistan’s Constitution, ARY News reported on Thursday.

As per the details, the proposed draft addresses various aspects of governance, judicial appointments, and the powers of key officials.

One significant proposal includes amending Clause 4 of Article 48, which states that the advice given by the President, the Cabinet, and the Prime Minister of the country cannot be challenged in any forum.

Another major proposed change is to Article 63A, which pertains to voting procedures within political parties. The government’s amendment would allow the votes cast by lawmakers against the instructions of their party’s leader to be counted.

After such a vote, the party leader would retain the authority to take action against the dissenting members.

The government has also suggested amending Article 111, allowing provincial assembly discussions on legal matters to involve not just the Attorney General but also legal advisors, expanding their influence in legislative matters.

One of the more significant reforms concerns the appointment of judges, outlined in a proposed amendment to Article 175A.

The Judicial Commission would be tasked with reviewing the performance of High Court judges, and a new procedure for appointing Supreme Court judges is suggested.

The proposal includes forming a judges’ appointment committee composed of two government members – a senator and an MNA proposed by the PM – and two opposition members – nominated by the opposition leader – with additional parliamentary input.

Additionally, the 12-member parliamentary committee – comprised of eight members from National Assembly (NA) and four senator – would have the power to appoint the Chief Justice of Pakistan, selecting from among the three most senior judges.

These reforms also include the provision for in-camera meetings during the appointment of the Chief Justice.