Pakistan: PML-N reveals proposed constitutional amendments to public
Oct 12, 2024
Islamabad [Pakistan], October 12 : The coalition government led by the Pakistan Muslim League (N) on Saturday disclosed the proposed constitutional amendments concerning the establishment and composition of a Constitutional Court.
The proposed modifications state that the new court will have seven members, including the Chief Justice, and that it will be able to provide legally binding decisions. A retired senior judge will appoint the Chief Justice, and the Attorney General, the Law Minister, and a representative of the Pakistan Bar Council will also sit on the court, ARY News reported.
Both the opposition and the ruling party will designate two representatives from each of the two houses and the makeup of provincial courts will be similar.
A minimum age of 40, three years of court experience, and ten years of legal practice are among the eligibility requirements for judges that are included in the proposed amendments.
The President will grant ultimate approval for the removal of judges through the Federal Constitutional Council.
As per ARY News, the Federal Court may hear appeals against decisions made by provincial constitutional courts, but the Federal Constitutional Court's rulings are final and cannot be challenged.
On the other hand, the appointment of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court will take place via an eight-member parliamentary committee, with the chosen candidate being one of the three most senior judges.
Prior to this, PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui said that two significant parties had submitted draft suggestions for constitutional revisions, clearing the door for a potential agreement with Maulana Fazlur Rehman's Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) and other parties, ARY News reported.
He underlined that adopting constitutional revisions in the interest of the country requires unity.
Senator Irfan Siddiqui reiterated that the purpose of the proposed constitutional amendments is to implement significant changes to Pakistan's constitution, not to favour any one person over another, ARY News stated.
