Sanaullah sees breakthrough in coming days on contentious constitutional package

• Consultation process with parties not stalled, clarifies Sanaullah.
• Says PPP, JUI-F drafts likely to be discussed after premier's return.
• Sana says amendments to be tabled after "minimum consensus".

Prime Minister's Adviser on Political and Public Affairs and PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah on Tuesday hinted at evolving "minimum consensus" among political parties on controversial judiciary-centric constitutional amendments that also included proposal to establish constitutional court.

Sanaullah signalled a possible breakthrough in the coming days on the constitutional package as alongside the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the opposition party — Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) were separately preparing the draft of the constitutional amendments.

The government pushed the proposed constitutional package amid speculation about a potential extension in the tenure of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, who is set to retire in October this year, following the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) request last month for the early issuance of a notification regarding the appointment of the next top judge.

Speaking on Geo News programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath, the PM's aide responded to the query regarding the progress on the proposed constitutional amendment that could not be tabled in parliament as the government lacked two-thirds majority in both houses to pass the judiciary-centric legislation.

The ruling PML-N leader said that the consultation process with other political parties on the judicial package has not stalled as the Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari-led PPP and Maulana Fazlur Rehman-led JUI-F were working on their draft amendments.

He added that the drafts could be discussed in the forthcoming consultative sessions after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's return from the United States where he would address the United Nations General Assembly's session.

He was of the view that the government would table the constitutional package after developing a "minimum consensus", including the legislation related to the establishment of a constitutional court.

Earlier today, PPP Chairman Bilawal categorically said that the formation of the constitutional court is need of the house and his party will ensure its formation come what may.

"The judicial reforms would be undertaken in line with the Charter of Democracy (COD)," he vowed addressing the Sindh High Court Bar Association.

Despite claims of securing the "magic number" needed to push the bill through, the government failed to table the judiciary-centric amendments — possibly including the establishment of a separate constitutional court — in parliament and postponed its move indefinitely earlier this month.

To pass the constitutional amendments, the government is short of 13 votes in the National Assembly (NA) and nine in the Senate.

To attain the required parliamentary strength for passing the judicial package, the ruling coalition partners — the PPP and the PML-N — held a flurry of meetings to woo JUI-F chief Maulana Fazl, but to no avail.

The ruling coalition is inclined towards the politico-religious party as it remained a close ally of both parties in the previous government led by the Pakistan Democratic Movement.

This multi-party alliance successfully ousted former premier Imran Khan from office via a no-confidence motion in 2022.

However, the JUI-F chief, whose party's lawmakers are now sitting on the opposition benches, had rejected the constitutional package introduced by the incumbent government, alleging that it aimed at protecting the coalition government and would disturb the balance of power among state institutions.