NFC Award likely to be revised, FM to get constitutional powers, Judiciary sees another round of reforms
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chairs a meeting of the federal cabinet. PHOTO: EXPRESS
The federal government has finalized an initial draft of the 27th constitutional amendment, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif consulting coalition partners on the proposal. Following its approval at today’s federal cabinet meeting, the amendment is set to be tabled in the Senate.
The initial draft is likely to propose:
- The Center gets a bigger share of the pie and its share in the National Finance Commission (NFC) Awards increases by 10% – from 42.5% to 52.5%
- Provinces hand over autonomy over education and health sectors to the Centre
- Amended Article 243 to give Field Marshal constitutional powers
- The role of the President and Prime Minister in judicial appointments will be reduced, with more power vested in the Supreme Judicial Commission
- A nine-member Federal Constitutional Court replaces the existing Constitutional Court of the Supreme Court
- In the event of deadlock over the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner, the matter will be referred to the Supreme Judicial Commission
- The retirement age for judges of both the Supreme Court and the Federal Constitutional Court increases by two years – from 68 to 70
Read: The judiciary in the spotlight as the government prepares constitutional proposals
The cabinet reviews the first draft
The Federal Cabinet is to meet here this morning at Parliament House to discuss the preliminary draft of the 27th Constitutional Amendment tabled by Law Minister Azam Tarar. The proposed bill will then be brought before the Senate.
According to Article 239 of the Constitution of Pakistan, a strict constitutional process must be followed for the approval of any amendment. From the Senate, the draft must be referred to the relevant standing committee, which then forwards it to Parliament’s joint standing committee for final approval.
Read more: 27th Amendment – What we know so far
Yesterday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with delegations from all the coalition partners, including Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and Balochistan Awami Party (BAP). He also met with representatives of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Awami National Party (ANP) and Ishtehkam-e-Pakistan.
