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ISLAMABAD:
As political consultations intensify over the proposed 27th constitutional amendment, the Senate’s party composition has come into focus, revealing the delicate arithmetic that will decide the bill’s fate.
According to official data, any constitutional amendment requires at least 64 votes in the 96-member upper house to pass.
The ruling coalition currently has a numerical edge, led by the PPP with 26 seats, the largest single bloc in the Senate. The PML-N follows with 20 seats, which form the core of the government’s legislative strength.
Among the coalition partners, BAP has four seats, while MQM-P has three members. NP and PML-Q each take one seat.
Several independent senators also sit on the government benches, including Abdul Karim, Abdul Qadir, Mohsin Naqvi, Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, Asad Qasim and Faisal Vawda, whose votes could prove decisive in close divisions.
On the opposition benches, PTI has the largest contingent with 14 senators followed by ANP with three. An independent senator, Naseema Ehsan, also joins the opposition along with six PTI-backed independents.
A newly elected PTI senator is expected to take oath soon, while Murad Saeed, another PTI-backed independent, is yet to be sworn in.
The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam maintains a significant presence on the opposition benches with seven senators, while the Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen and the Sunni Ittehad Council each have one seat.
