Cabinet meeting cancellation casts doubt over early passage of constitutional package: Fazl says PMLN, PPP, JUIF agree on judicial reforms

LAHORE: The political heavyweights — Sharif brothers, President Asif Ali Zardari and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman — on Wednesday reached a consensus on the judicial reforms during a late night meeting at the Sharif family’s Jati Umra residence in Lahore.

President Zardari and JUIF chief Maulana Fazl visited PML-N President Nawaz Sharif’s residence to attend dinner hosted in honour of the political leaders.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab and JUI-F’s Maulana Asad Mahmood were among the attendees of the important sitting.

Fazl, Bilawal and Dar talked to the media following late-night consultations on the constitutional package.

Maulana Fazl announced that a consensus had been reached on judicial reforms, adding consultations will continue on other proposals.

The JUIF chief also said that he would meet with the PTI leadership after he reached Islamabad, adding that their input would be incorporated into the constitutional amendment.

Bilawal remarked that the PPP and JUI-F had already agreed and today, three political parties have reached a consensus.

He added, “At an appropriate time, we will ensure the proposed amendment is passed by both Houses of Parliament.”

Ishaq Dar also confirmed, “The three parties have agreed on the judicial reforms in constitutional amendment. And, consensus will be achieved on other proposed amendments in the coming days.”

Earlier, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) President and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif hosted a dinner for various political leaders including Maulana Fazlur Rehman, President Asif Ali Zardari, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto at his Jati Umra residence, here on Wednesday.

PMLN Central Information Secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb said Nawaz Sharif hosted the dinner in honour of political leaders. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUIF) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman reached Jati Umra along with Senator Kamran Murtaza, and was received by Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was among those who welcomed the guests.

President Asif Ali Zardari, along with Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto, also reached Jati Umra on Wednesday evening. Nawaz Sharif and PM Shehbaz Sharif welcomed President Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto. Syed Naveed Qamar, Murtaza Wahab and Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan accompanied President Zardari.

Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari Wednesday summoned the sessions of Senate and the National Assembly for Thursday (today) at 4pm. He summoned the sessions in exercise of the powers conferred on him by Article 54(1) of the Constitution, said an official release on Wednesday.

Also, the National Assembly Secretariat released the agenda of session of lower house of the Parliament for Thursday. The introduction of the Constitutional (Twenty-Sixth) Amendment Bill, 2024 and consideration of the same bill is not on order of the day. However, any item could be added to order of the day as supplementary agenda or could be taken up by suspending rules.

The order of the day includes introduction of three bills including the National Commission on Status of Woman (Amendment) Bill, 2024; the Pakistan Infrastructure Development and Assets Management Authority Bill, 2024 and the Biological and Toxic Weapons Convention (Implementation) Bill, 2024.

Meanwhile, the federal cabinet meeting, which was convened to meet on Thursday at 1:30pm has been cancelled.

Political circles have raised questions over cancellation of the cabinet meeting, asking is it going to be the replay of September 15 spectacle. Some of them said the cabinet session has been put off on Maulana Fazl’s advice. Sources say the ruling coalition would try to have the amendments passed this week, while the PTI would strive to take the matter beyond October 25.

The Senate session has been summoned to meet at 3pm on Thursday (today).

Meanwhile, PM Shehbaz Sharif invited lawmakers of all coalition parties for a lunch on Thursday, ahead of the National Assembly session in which the 26th constitutional amendment is likely to be presented.

According to sources, the meeting would take place at Parliament House at 2pm. All lawmakers of coalition parties in centre have been issued invitations. The Special Committee of Parliament would meet again on Thursday (today) prior to separate sessions of Senate and National Assembly, to finalise the draft for the proposed 26th constitutional amendment.

A cabinet meeting is also expected to give approval to the draft of the constitutional amendment before the Senate and NA sessions, which would be presented in either of the houses for approval.

Sources indicated that the government aims to bring the constitutional amendment in the Senate session first, and after its passage from there, it would be presented in the National Assembly.

However, sources said the final decision in this regard would be taken on Thursday in the cabinet meeting.

According to sources, initially the Special Committee of the Parliament deferred the meeting till Thursday at 11:30am to wait for the final announcement of the Lahore dinner meeting, hosted by Nawaz Sharif. The jointly proposed draft would be presented in a meeting of three parties in Lahore.

Special Committee Chairman Khursheed Shah said after the meeting that they had combined the draft of four parties in Wednesday’s meeting. He said the Awami National Party (ANP) and Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) had also submitted their drafts. He said PTI Chief Whip Amir Dogar was contacted, and he said they were holding a party meeting on the constitutional amendment, and they should be given one day’s time. “So the meeting of the Special Committee has been adjourned till Thursday at the request of PTI,” he added.

PPP Parliamentary leader in Senate Sherry Rehman told the media after the meeting that all members representing the parliamentary parties were present in the meeting except for the PTI, which neither attend the meeting on Wednesday nor submitted their recommendations.

PMLN Parliamentary leader in Senate Irfan Siddiqui said hopefully the draft for the constitutional amendment would be discussed in Thursday’s meeting of the Special Committee. “The meeting of Nawaz Sharif, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Maulana Fazlur Rehman will give the final outline and if the consensus developed in the meeting in Lahore, then the final draft will come for discussion in the meeting,” he said.

On Wednesday, only 12 members could reach the meeting venue due to closure of roads.

Meanwhile, the political committee of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) decided to strongly oppose the government plan to get the proposed constitutional amendment through Parliament.

It was also agreed to make every possible effort to block the way of amendment in both houses of Parliament.

The forum meeting, which was presided over by PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, reviewed the political situation and its line of action inside and outside the Parliament in relation to the constitutional amendment package, the government intends to present possible this week.

After the political committee’s meeting, a declaration was issued that said it was decided to strongly oppose the government bid and one strategy was to hold protests at district level on Friday across the country against the amendment.

The committee directed all the regions to hold peaceful protests after Friday prayers at all the district headquarters, all sections who believe in the supremacy of the constitution were appealed to participate in the peaceful protest.

Moreover, it was said that the fundamental rights of the founder PTI and the access of the families and leaders to him should be restored immediately.

The political committee demanded the immediate release of the founder chairman’s sisters, Aleema Khan and Uzma Khan, and the forum also stressed on the immediate release of the arrested leaders, workers and members of Parliament.

Separately, PTI Islamabad Region President Aamir Mughal issued a video statement, urging for converging at D Chowk, being the only way to block the passage of legislation.

He made it clear that PTI supremo Imran Khan had given no instructions about protests.

Meanwhile, a source claimed that the PTI leadership has decided primarily to keep most of its members of the Parliament away from the opening sittings of the two chambers of the Parliament.

As per the strategy, all the members will not participate in the National Assembly and Senate session, rather only a few central leaders will go to the Parliament.

He also said that the leadership has stopped its members of parliament from openly appearing in public.