Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared Sunday a historic day for Pakistan, following the passage of the 26th Constitutional Amendment in the National Assembly.
“Today, it’s been decided that parliament reigns supreme,” he said, as 225 members, including coalition partners and independent lawmakers, voted in favour of the bill.
Under the judicial reforms passed during a late-night session of parliament, the chief justice of Pakistan will now be selected by a parliamentary committee and have a fixed term of three years. A new constitutional bench will also be formed.
The government clinched 225 votes of the required 224 with the crucial support of a handful of independent candidates. PTI had refused to back the package and did not participate in the voting.
Speaking on the floor of the House, the prime minister emphasised that the amendment represents not just a legal change, but a symbol of unity and consensus.
“This is more than an amendment; it is a reaffirmation of solidarity and agreement across political lines,” he noted.
Reflecting on the past, PM Shehbaz criticised what he termed “palace conspiracies” that led to the dismissal of governments and prime ministers.
Key points of 26th Amendment, 2024 Bill
- Chief justice’s tenure fixed at three years.
- Constitutional benches to be established at SC, high courts.
- Senior-most judge of each bench to serve as presiding officer
- Parliamentary committee to nominate new CJP from panel of three most senior judges
- Committee to propose name to PM, who will then forward it to president for final approval
- JCP, led by CJP and three others, responsible for appointment of SC judges
- JCP to monitor judges’ performance, report any concerns to Supreme Judicial Council
- Complete eradication of Riba (interest) from country by January 1, 2028
He lamented that such actions had caused significant financial losses to the national treasury. “Billions were lost due to arbitrary decisions that harmed the country’s economy,” he said.
The prime minister also underscored the importance of justice, noting that millions of Pakistanis are still waiting for fairness in a system where cases have dragged on for years.
