Draft proposes Constitutional Court, lifetime Field Marshal post, and higher judges’ age limit
PM Shehbaz Sharif addressing the national assembly in Islamabad. Photo: NAofPakistan/Twitter
The federal government has finalised an initial draft of the 27th Constitutional Amendment, with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif having consulted coalition partners on the proposal. Following its approval in tomorrow’s federal cabinet meeting, the amendment bill is set to be presented in the Senate.
Details of the proposed draft have been obtained by Express News. According to the initial draft of the amendment, sources said that a nine-member constitutional court will replace the existing constitutional bench in the Supreme Court under the proposed changes. Additionally, a proposal suggests increasing the retirement age for judges of both the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court from 68 to 70 years.
Sources further said that an amendment to Article 243 will provide constitutional protection to the position of field marshal, granting the field marshal constitutional powers. Under the proposed amendment, the title of field marshal will remain for life.
Additionally, the amendment draft proposes increasing the federal share in the National Finance Commission Award by 10%, with agreements expected to be made to transfer control of the education and health sectors to the federal government.
The draft also outlines that, in the event of a deadlock over the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner, the matter will be referred to the Supreme Judicial Commission. Furthermore, the role of the president and prime minister in judicial appointments will be reduced, with more power being vested in the Judicial Commission
