“We have just agreed to work towards a consensus on proposed constitutional amendments,” said JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. On Friday, major political parties, including the opposition, decided to collaborate on a “joint draft” for amending the Constitution, marking a significant breakthrough after days of deadlock.
The proposed ‘Constitutional Package’ aims to establish a federal constitutional court and set the Chief Justice of Pakistan’s (CJP) tenure at three years. The government had initially intended to present the bill last month, but strong opposition from allies and members of the opposition forced a shift towards consultation.
Speaking to journalists, Fazl noted that this was the first time the government presented its draft for constitutional amendments to his party. His comments followed a meeting of the Special Committee of Parliament to discuss the proposed changes.
The fifth in-camera meeting included Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members, and federal ministers. Fazl mentioned that the PPP had also made suggestions and indicated that the parties would begin consultations with the government.
Additionally, he stated that JUI-F would engage in separate discussions with the PPP and share its draft with the PTI to foster consensus. However, Fazl did not specify a timeline for resolving the constitutional matters, simply stating, “We have just agreed to work towards an agreement on the proposed amendments.”
Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, speaking after the meeting, noted that many suggestions had been presented to the committee and emphasized that the uncertainty that had previously existed had dissipated.
Regarding the joint draft, the law minister mentioned that discussions had taken place on the authority and formation of the judicial commission, as well as the establishment of constitutional courts and the transfer of judges.
In a press conference following the meeting, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said that all political parties had shared their views. The PPP also presented its draft to the committee, while the government updated the committee on its consultations with legal bodies.
Bilawal reiterated Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s position on presenting a joint draft with the PPP, emphasizing that all political parties should be involved. He expressed confidence that the law minister believed they had “complete numbers” for the draft.
If the federal government aims to pursue a “joint draft” despite holding a two-thirds majority, Bilawal indicated that it would be in everyone’s best interest. However, he questioned how long the government would take to finalize the joint draft, given other pending tasks.
Bilawal also stated that the ruling coalition had decided not to bring the constitutional amendments before the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, scheduled for October 15 and 16 in Islamabad.
A report from The News indicated that the PML-N and PPP had made significant progress in their discussions, reaching a consensus on the draft of proposed amendments. This breakthrough occurred during a crucial meeting at the Punjab House between PML-N President Nawaz Sharif and Bilawal.
Meanwhile, sources reported that the PTI had not yet issued a statement regarding today’s meeting, noting that the party would provide a “final statement” after meeting with Imran Khan, who is currently detained in Adiala Jail.
