ISLAMABAD: Ansar Abbasi, Editor Investigations at The News, has once again lived up to his reputation for breaking exclusive and accurate stories. His detailed reports on the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment have been fully vindicated as the federal cabinet on Saturday approved the amendment package along exactly the same lines he had earlier revealed.
While most of the media speculated on various aspects of the reform package, Ansar Abbasi’s investigative and exclusive reports in The News and Jang—published on Nov 6,8 and precisely identified the three key areas of focus in the amendment: (a) creation of the post of Chief of Defence Forces to ensure unified joint command of the armed forces; (b) establishment of a dedicated Constitutional Court with judges retiring at 68; and (c) a single nationwide seniority list for all High Court judges, empowering the Judicial Commission to transfer any judge to any High Court without consent. Abbasi had also accurately reported that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) would oppose any proposed changes relating to the NFC Award.
On November 6, Abbasi’s story titled: “Govt finalising 27th Amendment draft with key defence reforms” was published in The News International. On November 7 his story titled: “Constitutional Court to start with 7 judges retiring at 68” appeared, and the same day another report filed by him was published in The News titled: “New ‘Commander of Defence Forces’ designation under consideration.” On November 8, Abbasi’s further story titled: “Joint seniority list of high court judges among key reforms in 27th Amendment” was published in The News International.
On Saturday, the federal cabinet approved the 27th Constitutional Amendment package, which primarily covers the same three areas highlighted in Abbasi’s reports. The other proposed amendments are largely technical in nature.
Continuing his track record, earlier on Saturday, just before the cabinet meeting, Ansar Abbasi was again the first to report on Geo News that the cabinet’s agenda would mainly revolve around these three reform areas and that the Army Chief would be the Chief of Defence Forces. Through his consistent, fact-based and timely reporting, Ansar Abbasi has once again demonstrated the hallmark of credible and responsible investigative journalism.
