26th constitutional amendment: Fazl says consensus achieved on judicial reforms

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

President Zardari and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazl visited PML-N President Nawaz Sharif’s residence to attend the 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 that further consultations will continue on other proposals as well.

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

Fazl reiterated his stance, saying that his party previously rejected the initial amendment which still stands rejected today.

He underscored the importance of addressing major issues through comprehensive discussions.

"If we engage in detailed dialogue on key matters, both the country and the Constitution will be safeguarded," he stressed.

Bilawal expressed his gratitude to Maulana Fazlur Rehman and remarked that the PPP and the JUI-F had already agreed and today, three political parties have reached a consensus.

"We seek the supremacy of the Constitution through constitutional courts and demand swift justice," he noted.

The PPP leader noted, "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."

A day earlier, the PPP and the JUI-F reached an agreement on a draft for proposed 26th constitutional amendment.

Maulana Fazl announced the development in a joint presser with the PPP chief, saying the consensus was achieved after extensive deliberations between the two parties.

He praised Bilawal Bhutto for playing a crucial role in bringing the parties together on this issue.

Maulana had also announced meeting the PML-N president and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership to build wider support for the amendment.

Talking to media persons, Bilawal also hoped for evolving a broader consensus on the matter, saying the details of the joint draft would be revealed later.

The constitutional package, among other things, aims to set up a federal constitutional court and fix the tenure of the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) for three years.

Last month, the coalition government made a futile attempt to pass a ‘closely-guarded’ constitutional package amid speculation about a potential extension in the tenure of CJP Qazi Faez Isa.

However, the government failed to even table the amendments in parliament after the JUI-F chief refused to support the government's judicial package, leaving the contentious amendments hanging in the balance.

To pass the constitutional amendments, the government needs a two-thirds majority in parliament, with sources claiming that it was short of 13 votes in the National Assembly (NA) and nine in the Senate.

NA, Senate sessions summoned today

The federal government has summoned separate sessions of the National Assembly and the Senate on October 17 (today) — the very next day of the Shangai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit as the ruling coalition stepped up its efforts to introduce a much touted constitutional package in parliament.

President Asif Ali Zardari summoned the session of National Assembly on October 17 (Thursday) at 4:00 pm, while that of Senate on October 17 (Thursday) at 3:00 pm, the President Secretariat Press Wing said in a press release on Wednesday.

The coalition government has left no stone unturned to evolve consensus on its controversial 'constitutional package' with all political parties regularly holding meetings of the special parliamentary committee — a body led by PPP MNA Syed Khursheed Shah — to debate the proposed 26th constitutional amendment.