President Zardari signs 26th Constitutional Amendment into law

President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday signed the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which both chambers of Parliament approved earlier today and has now gone into effect.

Pakistani politics witnessed a significant development as the ruling coalition successfully passed the much-anticipated ‘Constitutional Package’ with a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and the National Assembly.

The 26th Amendment, which focuses on judiciary reforms, includes key changes such as revoking the Supreme Court’s suo motu powers, limiting the Chief Justice of Pakistan’s (CJP) term to three years, and allowing the Prime Minister to appoint the next CJP from among the three most senior Supreme Court judges.

The Senate approved the 22-clause bill on Sunday, achieving the required two-thirds majority.

The National Assembly followed suit, extending the bill to 27 clauses after incorporating Senate suggestions. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif then advised President Zardari to approve the newly enacted law, officially titled ‘The Constitution (26th Amendment) Act, 2024’.

The Act received presidential assent on October 21, 2024.

The amendment introduces a parliamentary committee responsible for appointing the new chief justice from among the three senior-most judges.

However, the PTI party criticized lawmakers who supported the amendment, calling them “conscience-sellers” and threatening protests against them.

The amendment marks a critical shift in Pakistan’s judicial landscape, reflecting ongoing political tensions and the influence of party affiliations in legislative processes.