ISLAMABAD: After failing to pass “Constitutional Package” last month due to lack of the required number, the ruling coalition on Wednesday directed its lawmakers to rush back to the country by October 15 as National Assembly and Senate sessions are likely to be called next week.

The sources privy to the development told Business Recorder that the National Assembly session is expected next week shortly after the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, due to which the government and its allies have directed their MPs who are at present abroad to return home by October 15.

They said that separate sessions of Senate and National Assembly will be convened next week, signalling that the ruling coalition is confident of having the 224 votes needed to secure the passage of the controversial legislation, which envisions the setting up of a constitutional court, and changes the way judges of the superior judiciary are appointed.

The sources further said that “at least 10 lawmakers belonging to the ruling coalition are out of country,” adding all the parliamentary parties which are part of the coalition have issued directives to their respective MPs to return home by October 18 at all cost.

They said that Tariq Fazal Chaudhry of PML-N and People’s Party’s (PPP) Khursheed Shah, Senator Rana Mehmoodul Hassan of People’s Party and BAP’s Dinesh Kumar, PML-Q’s Hussain Illahi and Senator Abdul Qadir are out of country.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024