In a bid to build political consensus on the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment, a government delegation led by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq met with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders on Friday at the Speaker’s Chamber.
The delegation sought PTI’s support for the amendment, emphasizing its importance for the national interest and assuring that it would not compromise provincial autonomy. Federal ministers Azam Nazir Tarar and Rana Sanaullah accompanied the speaker, while PTI was represented by Asad Qaiser, Junaid Akbar, Atif Khan, and Shahram Tarakai.
According to sources, the PTI delegation withheld its support, demanding a written draft of the amendment before making any decision.
The party maintained that its founder would review the proposal before approval. PTI also called for the immediate appointment of the opposition leader in the National Assembly, which Speaker Sadiq said was delayed due to a pending Supreme Court case.
Simultaneously, the government reached out to the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) to gain its backing. JUI chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman requested a complete written draft before committing and called a consultative meeting of the party’s Central Executive Committee in Islamabad to finalize its stance.
Meanwhile, a constitutional petition has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the 27th Amendment. The petition, submitted by Barrister Ali Tahir under Article 184(3), argues that the proposed amendment could undermine the powers of judicial review vested in the Supreme Court and high courts under Articles 184(3) and 199. It warns that passing the amendment would weaken judicial independence and constitutional oversight.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has also rejected most of the proposed amendment’s clauses. Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari reaffirmed his party’s opposition to any change affecting provincial autonomy and financial rights, reiterating support for a constitutional court with equal representation from all provinces.
