Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar has tabled “The Constitution (Twenty-Sixth Amendment) Bill, 2024 in the National Assembly.

The bill encompasses judicial reforms aimed at the provision of speedy justice and bringing more transparency.

Presenting the bill, the Law Minister said the constitution amendment envisages introduction of reforms to the appointment process and tenure of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and establishment of constitutional benches at the Supreme Court, with equal representation from all provinces.

It also provides to establish constitutional benches at the high courts. The senior-most judge of each constitutional bench will serve as its presiding officer.

Under the new amendment, the term for the Chief Justice of Pakistan has been set at three years.

A 12-member parliamentary committee will nominate the new Chief Justice of Pakistan from a panel of the three most senior judges.

The committee, comprising eight members from the National Assembly and four from the Senate, will propose the name to the Prime Minister, who will then forward it to the President for final approval.

Besides, a Judicial Commission of Pakistan, led by the Chief Justice and including three senior judges, two members each from the National Assembly and Senate, the Federal Minister for Law and Justice, the Attorney General, and a nominee of the Pakistan Bar Council, having not less than fifteen years of practice in the Supreme Court, will be responsible for appointments of the judges of the Supreme Court.

The commission will also monitor judges’ performance and report any concerns to the Supreme Judicial Council.

The amendment also included provisions related to the Supreme Judicial Council’s composition, ensuring a diverse and robust judicial structure, with the council consisting of the Chief Justice of Pakistan and the two most senior judges of the Supreme Court and the two most senior Chief Justices of the High Courts.

One of the most significant components of the amendment is the complete eradication of Riba (interest) from the country by January 1, 2028.

This has been added through an amendment to Article 38, reflecting Pakistan’s commitment to an interest-free economic system.

Taking the floor, Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the minimum consensus which was possible in the current political polarization was achieved on the 26th constitutional amendment.

He said this is the triumph of politics, political parties and that of democracy. He said the role played by JUI (F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in the constitutional amendment will be remembered in history.

Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said this constitutional amendment is aimed at empowering the parliament. He said we are following the spirit of the Charter of Democracy signed by all the political parties.

In his remarks, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that eliminating the interest based system from 2028 is a big decision.

He thanked the government for incorporating this clause of JUI (F) into constitutional amendment.

He said the constitutional amendment is a positive step forward.