ISLAMABAD: Following an overnight debate, Pakistan’s National Assembly passed the controversial judicial amendment bill early on Monday, capping the chief justice’s tenure to three years.
The National Assembly passed the 26th Constitution Amendment Bill, which the opposition alleges is aimed at watering down the powers of the independent judiciary, at 5 am with 225 members in the 336-member house supporting the bill.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Sunni-Ittehad Council (SIC) opposed the amendment, but six independent members who held their seats with the support of the PTI supported the bill.