June 02, 2008	Monday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 27, 1429

ISLAMABAD, June 1: The following are the salient features of the proposed 18th Constitution Amendment Bill.

(1) Changing the name of the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) as Pakhtunkhwa.

(2) Trial by parliament of people guilty of high treason under the Article 6 of the Constitution and those condoning the act, including the superior courts.

(3) No person will hold the office of the president for more than two terms.

(4) No trust motion against the prime minister can be moved by no less than 20 per cent of the total membership of the National Assembly, mentioning name of the proposed successor.(5) A commission headed by the Chief Justice and comprising chief justices of high courts and the federal law minister to appoint judges of the Supreme Court. The law minister to be the chairman for appointment of the chief justice.(6) Reservation of up to 10 per cent seats for women in the high courts.

(7) Replacement of the Supreme Judicial Council by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan headed by a non-politicised retired chief justice, two retired judges of the Supreme Court and one each from all the four high courts.(8) Decision of the council will be open to judicial scrutiny by a bench of the apex court of not less than nine judges, which would decide the appeal within 30 days.

(9) Change in the procedure for appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner.

(10) No declaration of war or use of armed forces without approval by the prime minister or the cabinet.

(11) Validation of ordinances promulgated by President Musharraf between July 2007 and December 2007.

(12) Validation of the 2008 general elections.

(13) Restoration of the Chief Justice and other sacked judges of the superior courts.

(14) Change in the oath of members of the armed forces that the Constitution will not be abrogated, subverted or held in abeyance.