On Sunday, the government passed the controversial 26th Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2024, in the Senate. This bill limits the Chief Justice of Pakistan’s (CJP) tenure to three years and faces opposition from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Commonly called the Constitutional Package, the bill includes several proposed amendments to the Constitution, notably establishing a fixed term for the Chief Justice. Last month, a special parliamentary committee formed with representatives from all parties, including PTI, discussed various proposals.
When the bill was presented, Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani read its details and called for a vote. After the voting, the constitutional amendment bill received approval from a two-thirds majority, with Gilani announcing, “65 members voted in favor, while five voted against.”
Earlier that day, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan announced that his party would not support the constitutional amendment in Parliament. He made this announcement during a press conference with Maulana Fazlur Rehman, citing harassment and threats against PTI members as reasons for their withdrawal from the process.
