The Prime Minister advises that the President enact the 26th constitutional amendment bill into law.

On Monday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advised President Asif Ali Zardari to sign the 26th Constitutional Amendment Bill into law.

The prime minister previously endorsed the recommendation for the constitutional modification bill following its approval by both houses of parliament.

The National Assembly and Senate previously approved the law with a two-thirds majority, establishing a three-year tenure for the Chief Justice of Pakistan.

A parliamentary committee with 12 members will appoint the new Chief Justice from a panel of the three most senior judges.

After receiving Senate approval, the National Assembly enacted the 26th Amendment Bill in the early hours of Monday, 2024, by a majority vote.

The constitutional amendment stipulates a three-year term for the Chief Justice of Pakistan.

A legislative committee comprising 12 members will select the new Chief Justice of Pakistan from a panel of the three most senior judges.

The committee, consisting of eight National Assembly members and four Senate members, will recommend a candidate to the Prime Minister, who will thereafter submit it to the President for final confirmation.

A Judicial Commission of Pakistan, chaired by the Chief Justice and comprising three senior judges, two representatives each from the National Assembly and Senate, the Federal Minister for Law and Justice, the Attorney General, and a nominee from the Pakistan Bar Council with a minimum of fifteen years of practice in the Supreme Court, will oversee the appointment of Supreme Court judges.

The commission will oversee judges’ performance and communicate any issues to the Supreme Judicial Council.

The amendment encompassed stipulations regarding the composition of the Supreme Judicial Council, guaranteeing a diverse and resilient judicial framework, comprising the Chief Justice of Pakistan, the two most senior judges of the Supreme Court, and the two most senior Chief Justices of the High Courts.