The federal government is gearing up for tabling the 27th Constitutional Amendment in the parliament with expected support of 237 parliamentarians including the coalition partners. The mission to get the 27th Constitutional Amendment approved by parliament is underway. The National Assembly consists of 336 members. Due to 10 vacant seats, the number of members in the House is 326. The support of 224 members is required for a constitutional amendment.

The government coalition currently has the support of 237 members, including the PPP. The PML-N is the largest political party in the government coalition with 125 members, the PPP has 74 members, the MQM has 22, PML-Q has 5 and the IPP has 4 members. In addition to one member each from the Muslim League Zia, the Balochistan Awami Party and the National Party, it also has the support of 4 independent members.

The number of opposition members in the Assembly is 89, there are 75 independent members on the opposition benches, JUI-F has 10 members, Sunni Ittehad Council, Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen, BNP Mengal and one member each from Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party are also present on the opposition benches. The Senate requires 64 votes out of 96 to approve the amendment, with the governing coalition having 65 votes.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)