The government on Thursday again tabled the new draft of the 27th constitutional amendment bill in the Senate for approval.

The bill — containing major structural changes — was presented by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar.

The bill was adopted by the National Assembly on Wednesday with some changes, and now it has been referred back to the upper house of Parliament.

A session of the Upper House is in progress to consider and grant its approval to the legislation.

A special meeting of the federal cabinet is also scheduled to be held later today (Thursday) to ratify changes made in the amendment.

According to sources, dissident senators Saifullah Abro and Ahmed Khan, belonging to PTI and JUI, will remain eligible to vote as their resignations have not yet been accepted, nor has any reference been filed against them under Article 63.

The government is reportedly aiming to secure the Senate’s approval for all provisions of the amendment today.

The bill was passed by the National Assembly a day earlier with a two-thirds majority.

During the assembly session, opposition members tore up copies of the bill and boycotted proceedings after staging a noisy protest in front of the Speaker’s dais.

The amendment, as approved by the National Assembly, included eight new clauses.

The most significant change pertains to clause 2 of Article 6, under which no court can validate any act of “high treason”.

The clause also adds the term “Constitutional Court” alongside the High Court and Supreme Court.

The amendment further clarifies that the incumbent Chief Justice, Justice Yahya Afridi, will continue to serve as the Chief Justice of Pakistan until the completion of his tenure.

After his retirement, the senior-most among the Chief Justices of the Supreme Court and the Federal Constitutional Court will assume the title of Chief Justice of Pakistan.

This clarification ends the speculation over whether the office of the Chief Justice of Pakistan was being abolished or transferred to the head of the Constitutional Court.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar clarified in the Lower House that “it is completely incorrect to assume that the 27th Constitutional Amendment abolishes the office of the Chief Justice of Pakistan”.

He said that Justice Yahya Afridi will continue to serve as the head of both the Supreme Judicial Council and the Judicial Commission of Pakistan.