ISLAMABAD: Leaders of four key parties — the PML-N, PPP, PTI and JUI-F — in separate telephone contacts on Sunday discussed progress on efforts for reaching a consensus on the proposed constitutional package.

After the contact between PTI leader Asad Qaiser and the JUI-F chief, the former said that the constitutional amendment draft shared by Maulana Fazlur Rehman had been relayed to the PTI’s legal team.

“It is quite a reasonable draft as it lacks legislation regarding violations of human rights. It does not discuss military courts and judges’ transfer. There is no mention of amendments to Article 8 and Article 199,” Mr Qaiser said.

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When asked if it was possible that the government would get the constitutional amendment passed after convincing the PTI to postpone its protest, Asad Qaiser said he hoped the government would not make such a move. He added that since Maulana Fazl was not in Islamabad and would be back on the 17th, it was unlikely the government would table the amendment bill immediately.

On the other hand, PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari telephoned PML-N President Nawaz Sharif in Lahore to discuss progress on efforts to shore up support for the constitutional package.

Sources told Dawn that Mr Bhutto-Zardari informed the former prime minister about the discussions held between the PPP and Maulana Fazl and other JUI-F leaders in public and private meetings. The PML-N and the PPP leaders also talked about steps to evolve a consensus on the 26th constitutional amendment.

Amjad Mehmood in Lahore also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2024