ISLAMABAD (National Times) Balochistan National Party Mengal (BNP-M) has decided to oppose constitutional amendment.

BNP-M had directed its party parliamentarians to not support any government and private constitutional amendment bill.

BNP-M in its instructions informed the party parliamentarians that senators being a part of the opposition alliance will oppose the constitutional amendment.

It is worth noting that the incumbent coalition government intends to table a constitutional amendment bill which aims to increase the strength of the Supreme Court judges strength from 17 to 23 to remove backlog of cases and provide extension to sitting CJP Qazi Faez Isa.

Opposition parties, including the PTI, have opposed the bill.

But the government requires the support of two-thirds majority, 224 votes out of a total of 336 members in the lower house to get approved and passed the bill.

Rana Sanaullah also asserted that the government had no required numbers for constitutional amendment.

Earlier, the government claimed that it had the required number for the amendment and held meetings with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

However, Fazl has rejected government claims that his party supports proposed constitutional amendments, stressing that no opposition party, including JUI-F, will back any legislation that contradicts the Constitution or democracy.

Earlier, BNP leader Sardar Akhtar Mengal had announced his resignation from the National Assembly.

Mengal criticized the current political system, stating that it would be better to open a small business rather than to continue a role where the assembly does not listen to their voice.

Mengal was elected a member of the National Assembly from NA-256 Khuzdar.