Hopes for Consensus-Based Legislation — Talks to the Media
ISLAMABAD (Web News)
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Farooq H. Naek said that consultation on 80% of the points of the 27th Constitutional Amendment has been completed, while the remaining 20% will be finalized by today (Sunday). Speaking to the media after chairing a joint meeting of the National Assembly and Senate Standing Committees on Law and Justice, Farooq H. Naek stated that discussions on Article 175 — related to the appointment of judges — have been completed under the 27th Amendment. He expressed hope that the legislation would be passed through consensus.
On the occasion, Federal Minister for Law Azam Nazeer Tarar said that the joint meeting of the National Assembly and Senate Standing Committees on Law and Justice would reconvene on Sunday at 11 a.m. He added that all members had diligently reviewed the draft, and debate on 60% of the clauses had been completed.
Earlier, speaking to the media after the federal cabinet meeting, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said that, in accordance with the Charter of Democracy, the cabinet had approved an amendment to Article 243 of the Constitution, under which a Constitutional Court will be established. Parliament will now debate the constitutional amendment and make the final decision regarding its approval.
He further stated that there had been considerable debate recently regarding the appointment of judges. The bill proposes that the transfer of judges be entrusted to the Judicial Commission, and that the Chief Justices of both the high court from which a judge is being transferred and the high court to which they are being transferred will be part of this process. The retirement age of judges of the Constitutional Court has been proposed as 68 years.