National Assembly Approves Amendments on Armed Forces Chiefs’ Terms and Supreme Court Judges
Opposition members protested vehemently in front of the Speaker’s dais, tearing copies of the amendment bills and shouting slogans.
Senate passes ‘The Supreme Court Number of Judges (Amendment) Bill, 2024’, Services Chiefs’ Tenure Bills
Islamabad (Web News)
The National Assembly has passed amendments to set the term of Armed forces at five years and to increase the number of judges in the Supreme Court from 17 to 34. The assembly also approved amendments to the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Law by a majority vote.
The number of IHC judges would be increased from 9 to 12 after the new legislation.
Later, the National Assembly also passed the bills to extend the tenure of all the services chiefs. The amendments were made in the Pakistan Army Act 1952, Air Force Act and Pakistan Navy Act.
All the bills related to the tenure of services chiefs were moved by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif.
The session, chaired by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, started over two hours late. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar introduced a motion to suspend the question hour, which was approved amid strong opposition. The opposition protested vigorously, chanting slogans in the assembly.
During this time, the Law Minister presented the amendment ordinance for the Practice and Procedure Law and proposed the bill to increase the number of Supreme Court judges to 34, stating that the goal was to reduce the backlog of cases. The number of Supreme Court judges will now include 33 judges alongside the Chief Justice of Pakistan.
Azam Nazeer Tarar also introduced the Islamabad High Court (Amendment) Bill 2024, aiming to raise the number of judges from 9 to 12, which was also approved by the assembly. Following this, bills to amend the Pakistan Army Act of 1952, the Air Force Act, and the Pakistan Navy Act were presented for approval.
The three bills regarding the five-year term for military chiefs were introduced by Defense Minister Khawaja Asif and were passed by a majority vote. During the approval process, tensions flared between government and opposition members, resulting in a physical altercation where members from both sides grabbed each other’s collars, and government members surrounded the Prime Minister’s seat.
Opposition members protested vehemently in front of the Speaker’s dais, tearing copies of the amendment bills and shouting slogans. As soon as the session began, the Law Minister presented the bill to increase the number of judges in the Supreme Court, which was met with significant opposition.
After the clauses of the amendment bills were individually approved, the National Assembly session was adjourned until 11 AM on Tuesday.
Senate passes ‘The Supreme Court Number of Judges (Amendment) Bill, 2024’, Services Chiefs’ Tenure Bills
The Senate of Pakistan on Monday passed four bills. These are: The Factories Amendment Bill 2023, The Guardians and Wards Amendment Bill, 2024, The WAPDA University Islamabad Bill, 2024 and Pakistan Animal Science Council Bill, 2023.
The Senate also passed The Supreme Court Number of Judges (Amendment) Bill, 2024¸ The Supreme Court Practice and Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2024, The Islamabad High Court (Amendment) bill, 2024, The Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill, 2024”, “The Pakistan Air Force (Amendment) Bill, 2024” and “The Pakistan Navy (Amendment) Bill, 2024”.
Earlier, three bills were laid before the Senate on Monday. These included: the State-Owned Enterprises Governance and Operations Amendment Bill, 2024, the National Institute of Health (Re-organization) Amendment bill, 2024 and the Abandoned Properties (Management) Amendment Bill, 2024. The chair referred the bills to the standing committees concerned.
The Senate on Monday passed a resolution commending the recent visit of Speaker of the Federation Council of the Russian Federal Assembly Ms. Valentina Matviyenko.
The resolution moved by Rubina Qaim Khani and others described the visit of the Russian Speaker as a milestone in advancing Pakistan-Russia relations, saying this reaffirms the commitment of both nations to deepen cooperation across various sectors.
The resolution acknowledged the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Chairman Senate Yousaf Raza Gilani and Ms Valentina Matviyenko, emphasizing this marks a significant step in parliamentary diplomacy and sustained engagement through parliamentary friendship groups.
The Senate resolution resolved to actively support a strategic partnership with the Russian Federation through regular exchanges, as outlined in the MoU, promoting shared principles of peace, cooperation, and respect.
The resolution called for collaboration across economic, cultural, and social domains, aiming to expand trade, investment, and cultural exchange programs, as well as foster educational and technological partnerships. These efforts are intended to enhance Pakistan-Russia relations, contributing to mutual growth, regional stability and a more cohesive approach to shared global challenges.
The House also passed a resolution recommending the government to ensure that manufacturers of motorcycles and helmets equip their finished products with all the safety features at par with international standards.
In yet another resolution, the Senate recommended the government to direct NADRA for including a separate column for “Majhool-un-nasab” children on an ID Card. The House has now been prorogued.