Constitutional package 'unanimously approved' by parliamentary committee

In a major development, the special parliamentary committee — comprising government and opposition members — on Friday "unanimously" approved the draft of 26th Constitutional Amendment.

The development comes after the special committee formed to debate the contentious judicial package met under the chairmanship of PPP lawmaker Syed Khursheed Shah on Friday.

Speaking to the reporters, Shah said the draft would be presented in the federal cabinet meeting tomorrow for approval.

"The draft has been approved unanimously," he said adding that the committee has also agreed on allowing overseas Pakistanis to contest the elections.

Leaders from all major political parties, sans Awami National Party’s Aimal Wali Khan, were present in the meeting.

MQM-P leader Farooq Sattar claimed that PTI principally agreed on the draft but the party had reservations on some points.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, however, said that consultation on the fourth draft shared by the government today is underway, adding that they would make final decision on the constitutional package after meeting with his party founder, who is currently incarcerated in Adiala Jail in multiple cases.

Addressing a press conference following a meeting with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the PTI chairman distanced his party from the decisions made in the parliamentary committee meeting today, saying: “Our meeting was underway when we came to know that the draft was approved [by the parliamentary committee].”

He said that they would announce their decision on the draft of the much-touted constitutional amendments after discussing it with PTI founder.

“Soon we will reach a conclusion,” the PTI chairman added.

Barrister Gohar was of the view that they would move forward “in light with the directions of Imran Khan.

“We will try to meet PTI founder tomorrow and will give out final version [after the meeting].”

PTI leadership was not allowed to meet incarcerated Khan for the past over two weeks, he added.

Responding to a question, the PTI chief said that a new draft was shared with them during today’s parliamentary committee meeting. The sitting approved 26 points of the fourth draft, he added.

“During meeting with Fazlur Rehman, we have reached a consensus [on a draft].”

The committee approved the same draft on which we had agreed with the JUI-F chief, Barrister Gohar added.

To another query, he said that PTI leader Amir Dogar was among the attendees of the parliamentary committee meeting.

As per the draft, approved by the parliamentary body and obtained by Geo News, the commission for appointment of the SC judges would comprise the citing chief justice, four senior most judges of the top court, federal law minister, attorney-general for Pakistan, an advocate nominated by Pakistan Bar Council, two members from the Senate and as many from the National Assembly.

“The question whether any, and if so what, advice was tendered to the president by the cabinet, or the prime minister, shall not be inquired into in, or by, any court, tribunal or other authority”, read the draft.