With the 27th Constitutional Amendment approaching a decisive vote, the number game in Parliament has become critical, as the government claims to have secured the required majority for its passage.
According to parliamentary sources, the government currently enjoys the support of 237 members in the National Assembly — comfortably exceeding the 224 votes needed to approve a constitutional amendment. The coalition’s numbers suggest a smooth passage in the lower house, though challenges remain in the Senate.
In the National Assembly, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) holds 125 seats, while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) contributes 74 members. Coalition allies include the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) with 22 seats, Pakistan Muslim League (Q) with 5, and the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) with 4. Additional support comes from one member each of the Zia League, National Party, and Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), along with four independent lawmakers.
The opposition bloc collectively holds 89 seats in the National Assembly, primarily comprising members from the PTI-backed alliance and other smaller parties.
In the Senate, the ruling coalition has 61 members, while the opposition controls 35. For the constitutional amendment to pass the upper house, the government needs a two-thirds majority — 64 votes.
Sources indicate that the government may need the backing of three additional senators, potentially from the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) or the Awami National Party (ANP), to ensure smooth approval in the Senate.
The 27th Amendment is expected to address significant constitutional and governance-related reforms, making its passage a key political milestone for the current coalition.
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