Independent Asad Qasim elected Senator from Balochistan

Islamabad: Asad Qasim has been elected as a senator from Balochistan on a general seat, here on Thursday.

As per the details, The Election Commission of Pakistan has issued a notification of Asad Qasim’s victory.

Asad Qasim won the seat as an independent candidate, as the seat was vacated by his father, former Senator Muhammad Qasim Roonjho.

Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) member Muhammad Qasim Roonjho resigned from his seat after voting in favour of the 26th Constitutional Amendment.

BNPM chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal had directed Qasim Roonjho to resign for violating party policy.

26th Constitutional Amendment

It should be noted that the Parliament had passed the 26th Amendment on the intervening night of the 20th and 21st, under which the term of the Chief Justice of Pakistan has been fixed at three years.

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

A committee comprising eight members of the National Assembly and four members of the Senate will recommend names to the Prime Minister, who will then send them to the President for final approval.

In addition, a judicial commission headed by the Chief Justice and comprising three senior judges, two members each of the National Assembly and Senate, the Federal Minister for Law and Justice, the Attorney General and a nominee of the Pakistan Bar Council with not less than fifteen years of practice in the Supreme Court, will be responsible for the appointment of Supreme Court judges.