ISLAMABAD (National Times) The coalition government is unlikely to table the trumpeted constitutional amendment bill in the National Assembly even today (Monday) as it has postponed the federal cabinet meeting meant for the purpose.
The cabinet meeting has been postponed apparently due to government’s failure to muster support for passage of the controversial bill.
Source said the government saw no reason in going ahead with the cabinet meeting as JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman refused to support the bill. Therefore, Monday’s National Assembly session is likely to have three-point agenda and there is no chance of tabling the constitutional bill.
Earlier, the government summoned the National Assembly and Senate sessions on Monday to table and pass the constitutional amendment after their failure to do so on Sunday.
The National Assembly and the Senate are expected to meet at 12:30pm as both the houses adjourned their sessions on Sunday.
The cabinet could not meet on Sunday and it’s meeting has been postponed again.
On Sunday, a special committee constituted for setting up a new “constitutional court” to take up matters regarding interpretation of the constitution lent conditional support to the idea. The committee comprises representatives of government and opposition parties.
The special committee includes the legislators of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F).
Speaking at the meeting, Maulana Fazlur Rahman refused to support the government on the issue of extension in tenure of high-ranking officials.
According to sources, Maulana Fazl suggested “detailed” debate on the bill.
The PTI also backed the JUI-F chief and said the legislation should not be enacted in haste.
The coalition government requires 224 votes or two-thirds majority in the lower house for approval of the constitutional amendment.
At present, the government has the support of 213 legislators – 111 of PML-N, 68 (PPP) and 22 (MQM-P). The alliance also has five PML-Q MNAs, four of IPP, and one each of BAP, ANP and Muslim League-Zia.
If the government gets the support of eight JUI-F members, it will have 221 votes which will still be short of the magic number of 224. In order to go past it, the government requires support of independent MNAs.
As for the Senate, the ruling party has to get support of 64 members. Currently, it has the support of 55 members.
The government has support of 19 PML-N senators, 24 of PPP, four of BAP, three of MQM-P and five independent members in the Senate.
So, it requires votes of five JUI-F and four independent senators to complete the numbers required for the constitutional amendment.
The government has directed its senators to stay in Islamabad for a possible constitutional amendment.
