• Bilawal, Nawaz agree to incorporate Fazl’s suggestions on proposed constitutional amendment
• JUI-F likely to share its draft in parliamentary committee meeting today

ISLAMABAD: The PPP and PML-N decided to postpone the much-touted constitutional amendment until after the SCO summit, and agreed to incorporate the suggestions put forth by Maulana Fazlur Rehman as the ruling coalition woos his support to achieve two-thirds majority in parliament.

In a meeting between PML-N President Nawaz Sharif and PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari at Punjab House on Thursday, both sides agreed to accommodate the Maulana, who is still on the fence on the proposed ‘Constitutional Package’. Subsequently, a PPP delegation called on the JUI-F chief at his residence to assure him that his proposals would become part of the constitutional package.

At their meeting, the PPP chairperson told Mr Sharif that they would win over the Maulana sooner or later, sources privy to the meeting said. The PML-N chief, on the other hand, said there was a need to restructure the judicial system, while hailing the 18th Amendment as a major achievement of the PPP. “Such a judicial system is required in which there will be no hegemony of an individual, but a respect for people’s opinion and institutions,” he added.

Both leaders vowed to implement the Charter of Democracy signed by Nawaz Sharif and ex-prime minister Benazir Bhutto in 2006. They were also happy with the stability of the country’s economy and a decline in inflation.

JUI-F to share draft

On the other hand, the JUI-F is expected to share its set of suggestions during a parliamentary committee meeting at Parliament House on Friday (today). The committee led by PPP’s Khursheed Shah has the representation of all parties, including the PTI. It was formed by the NA speaker for reconciliation among lawmakers, particularly between the PTI and the government, after a raid by plainclothesmen to round up the PTI men from the Parliament House.

It may be noted that the PPP chief earlier hinted that three separate drafts of the constitutional package were being prepared – one by the government, the second by the PPP, and the third by the JUI-F. The PPP has already called for the formation of a constitutional court not just in the Centre but in all provinces, besides calling for equality among provinces.

Speaking on a TV show, Murtaza Wahab — who was present at the meeting between the PPP and PML-N chief — said that both leaders agreed to evolve as much as possible consensus on the constitutional amendments

The Karachi mayor said that the PPP delegation that went to Maulana Fazl had asked him to lend support on the matter of the constitutional court, if not the entire package. He said JUI-F Senator Kamran Murtaza came up with a proposal that there was no need for a separate constitutional court, instead a separate bench for constitutional and political cases could be set up in the Supreme Court.

“Now two proposals, one which we have shared regarding the formation of constitutional courts in the centre and provinces and the other prepared by Kamran Murtaza, are available with Maulana Fazl and he has to choose between them,” he added.

According to a PPP statement issued after the meeting, Mr Bhutto-Zardari proposed amendments related to constitutional courts and judicial reforms, emphasising the need for political consensus.

“I hope that the proposed constitutional amendments are approved with consensus…,” the PPP leader said. In response, Nawaz Sharif assured, “We stand with every proposal of the PPP that aims for the betterment of the country.”

“Constitutional amendments are not only necessary but mandatory to ensure swift justice for the common man,” the PPP leader claimed.

He emphasised that Pakistan must establish the supremacy of parliament through judicial reforms. “Countries only progress when there is a balance of power, and we must address past mistakes through judicial reforms,” the statement quoted him as saying.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2024