The 100-member Senate is meeting today (Friday) to consider and pass by at least two-thirds majority the 20th Amendment Bill, which was unanimously passed by the Lower House on Tuesday. The 20th Constitutional Amendment Bill – the third to be carried out by the current parliament – will guarantee an independent Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and a neutral interim government to hold upcoming general elections, besides giving legal cover to the election of 28 lawmakers in recent by-polls conducted under an incomplete ECP. The Supreme Court has already suspended the membership of these 28 legislators.
The National Assembly unanimously passed the bill after the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) reached a consensus on various clauses proposed by the latter. The bill would go to the president for final assent after its passage from the Senate. The support of at least 67 senators is required to pass the bill.
The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has no representation in the National Assembly because it had boycotted the 2008 general elections. However, it has three senators in the Upper House. When asked, JI Senator Prof Khurshid Ahmad said that neither the government nor the opposition had consulted them on the 20th Amendment Bill. When asked about JI’s stance on the bill, he avoided giving a clear answer, saying the party was still making consultations on the subject.
He said the party would take an independent position, as there were “some good things” in the bill. Similarly, the National Party and the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party had also boycotted the 2008 general elections. These parties, however, have representation in the Senate. These smaller parties have objected to the bill to the extent that they were not consulted on the subject. However, keeping in view the spirit of the political parties regarding the two earlier constitutional amendment bills, it is likely that they raised objections but ultimately would support the bill.
