PTI Announces Seven MNAs Will Oppose Government’s Constitutional Amendments

Islamabad, Thursday: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) announced that seven members of the National Assembly (MNAs) from the coalition government would vote against the proposed constitutional amendments. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan revealed this during an interview with Geo News, stating that the government’s numbers “are only complete on paper” and that the administration had failed to consult its members due to fear.

Khan claimed to have reliable information that seven members from the government’s treasury benches were refusing to support the constitutional changes. “The government members said they will not vote even if they face disqualification,” he said, stressing that those voting in favor would be going against their conscience.

Khan also suggested that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari was aware that some members of his party would not back the amendments.

His comments came amid a meeting of the Special Committee of the parliament, which convened to discuss the draft amendments proposed by the government. The special committee, chaired by Khursheed Shah, was assembled to debate the 26th constitutional amendment.

The proposed amendments include establishing a federal constitutional court and setting a three-year term for the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP). The government had previously attempted to present the bill, but it faced strong opposition from both its allies and opposition members, prompting a wider consultation process.

The passage of the constitutional amendments requires a two-thirds majority in parliament, with reports suggesting the government is short of 13 votes in the National Assembly and nine in the Senate.