• Minister says four to five points need to be hammered out; JUI-F shares its draft with parliamentary panel
• PTI remains opposed, fails to share proposals; refuses to call off Oct 15 protest
• JUI-F says its draft is in sync with PPP except for constitutional court
• Tarar says Oct 24 is deadline for notification of new CJP

ISLAMABAD: As the majority, except for the PTI, agreed to alter the procedures for superior judges’ appointment, the special parliamentary com­mittee still failed to evolve a consensus on the constitutional package, with the JUI-F advocating a “constitutional bench” instead of a constitutional court proposed by the government.

The committee which has the representation of all parties, including the PTI, met for the second consecutive day on Saturday amid reports that the constitutional package would be tabled in parliament by Oct 25.

A day after the PPP made its draft proposals public, the JUI-F shared its draft of proposed amendments with the committee under the chairmanship of PPP leader Syed Khursheed Shah.

The committee will meet again on Monday (tomorrow) hoping to achieve the consensus, with the chair constituting a sub-committee to review the drafts submitted by both the government and the opposition parties.

The sub-committee will provide its recommendations to the parliamentary committee and includes Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, PTI leaders Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Barrister Ali Zafar; PPP’s Farooq H. Naek; and JUI-F leader Kamran Murtaza.

Amid hopes for a consensus, the parliamentary panel will meet again on Monday.

A participant of the meeting from the ruling coalition said homework will be completed in behind-the-scenes meetings. They added that “we may have a consensus document ready before Monday’s meeting, leaving the PTI aside”.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, PML-N senior leader Irfan Siddiqui claimed that the committee was close to reaching a consensus on constitutional amendments, with key political parties aligning on major points. He said that the primary goal of the special parliamentary committee was to reach a consensus on constitutional amendments.

He expressed optimism about the ongoing discussions with the JUI-F, noting recent meetings brought a positive outlook. He said that the government’s draft, with suggestions from the legal community and bar associations, has been finalised.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) also submitted a separate draft focused on local government reforms, although it agrees with the broader constitutional amendments.

“The PTI is the only party that has not submitted anything in writing,” Senator Siddiqui said.

PPP-JUI consensus

According to JUI-F leader Kamran Murtaza, the only difference between the JUI-F and PPP drafts is that of the constitutional court. The JUI-F has proposed a constitutional bench instead of a constitutional court, he said. The JUI-F has no objection to the rest of the PPP’s draft, he added.

The JUI-F leader said the party was opposed to the constitutional court because it would be inappropriate to establish a separate court for only 200 cases.

PPP parliamentary leader in the Senate Senator Sherry Rehman said, “We are trying to bring the constitutional amendment with consensus.”

PPP leader Raja Pervez Ashraf echoed Mr Murtaza’s optimism, noting that JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman had suggested drafting a joint proposal with the PPP, which would be shared soon. “Things are moving in the right direction. Stay positive,” Mr Ashraf remarked, adding that the Oct 25 deadline was unrelated to the constitutional amendment discussions.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar emphasised the need for dialogue to reach a consensus on amendments. He said the constitutional amendment could be introduced after Oct 25, and even after two months. He said discussions were ongoing on four to five points in the committee.

Answering a question about the notification regarding the appointment of the new CJP, he said the deadline for this was Oct 24, adding that the notification of the new chief justice had always been issued a day or two before the appointment. The appointment notification of Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa was issued a little earlier in view of the arrival of the caretaker government, he pointed out.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar confirmed that his party had not yet presented a draft. He said the party’s founding chairman was to be consulted before submitting proposals.

An informed source told Dawn that during the meeting of the special parliamentary committee, the PTI was requested to cancel or at least delay its plan for protest on Oct 15, but it flatly refused.

In response to the request, PTI leader Omar Ayub Khan said PTI activists were being harassed and raids were being carried out at their houses. “Staging a protest under these circumstances is our constitutional right,” Omar Ayub was quoted as saying. He claimed that it never happened in the past.

Senator Irfan Siddiqui debunking the claim recalled the day when he was picked up from his house during the PTI government.

‘Unfinished agenda’

Meanwhile, in a message on social media platform X, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari shared the draft of the constitutional amendments proposed by the PPP and invited meaningful feedback from the public.

He said this proposal was to complete the unfinished judicial refo­rms agenda outlined in the Charter of Democ­racy. “We propose the creation of a Federal Consti­tut­ional Court, with equal representation of all federating units.”

Mr Bhutto-Zardari wrote, “We also propose ending the process of appointment of the judges, by the judges and for the judges. Instead, by merging the judicial and parliamentary committees we give an equal role to parliament, judiciary and legal fraternity.”

In a related development, the PPP and JUI-F discussed proposed constitutional amendments at Zardari House.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2024