Constitutional tweaks: Govt seeks 'broader consensus' despite 'achieving magic number'

• Govt has "other options" but prioritised building consensus: Tarar.
• Asif says govt to make progress on constitutional tweaks at any cost.
• Rejects PTI, BNP-M's allegations regarding abduction of lawmakers.
  

ISLAMABAD: The ministers from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) claimed on Saturday that the coalition government achieved the 'magic number' to pass the contentious 26th constitutional amendment, however, the tabling of the judicial package in parliament was facing delays as attempts being made to evolve broader consensus among all political parties.

The coalition government and its ally — the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) — yet to table the proposed constitutional amendment in parliament despite rigorously engaging in talks with political parties to pave way for the judicial reforms.

The draft amendment envisages formation of constitutional bench, parliamentary role in appointment of chief justice of the Supreme Court from list of three judges, restructuring of Judicial Council as well as Supreme Judicial Council, and fixing the three-year tenure of chief justice.

The ruling party leaders' statements came after the head of a special committee of parliament, Khursheed Shah, claimed a day ago that the draft of the constitutional tweaks was “unanimously” approved by all sides after much deliberations in the key session.

Federal Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar, speaking to reporters along with PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi, revealed that the government was not facing any issues to achieve a required number to pass the constitutional amendment’s bill in the parliament.

He added that the “government has other options”, however, it is still wanting to go ahead with the consensus among all political parties.

He expressed hope that Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman will play an important role in bringing the political parties on the same page.

Commenting on resistance from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against the judicial package, Tarar said that a delegation of the major opposition party has met party founder Imran Khan at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail today.

“It is our responsibility to take all political parties onboard on one point over the constitutional amendment and we are trying to pass it with a complete consensus.”

The federal minister said that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari held another meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the government would try to conclude the dialogue process today.

Speaking to Geo News today, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also claimed that the government would make progress in any case after achieving the required number of votes in both houses of parliament for the constitutional tweaks.

"No matter if it takes a little more time to bring all political parties on the same page." Asif was of the view that consensus would be reached by today’s evening, otherwise, the government will "advance to its next front".

He said that constitutional amendment is an important matter which is carried out in years. Emphasising the importance of the ongoing consultation process, Asif said that there is no ambiguity left after the parliamentary committee comprising opposition and government members "unanimously approved" the draft. 

The defence czar also claimed that the PTI lawmakers had also agreed on the contents of the draft like other parties in yesterday’s session of the special committee. He added that a PTI delegation met its party founder to get final go-ahead from him.

Regarding the PTI leaders’ meeting with incarcerated Khan, Asif said that it was Maulana Fazl’s request to allow them. The JUI-F supremo would inform the government in a while about PTI founder’s instructions to his party leadership.

The PML-N senior leader, in a separate press conference outside the parliament today, rejected speculations regarding the constitutional amendment and clarified that it meant to empower parliament.

He said: "In the last two to three years, some decisions had raised questions regarding the supremacy of parliament. However, all parties agreed not to make any compromise on parliament’s supremacy."

He also rubbished claims of some political parties about “abduction of their leaders”, saying that they are concocting a “false narrative” without giving details of kidnapped or jailed persons.

The Imran Khan-founded party and the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) had alleged that their leaders were being harassed and threatened directly and indirectly via raids on their houses, abduction of lawmakers and their relatives in a bid to pressurise the opposition lawmakers into supporting the government's judicial reforms.

To a questioned whether senior puisne Justice Mansoor Ali Shah would become the next chief justice of Pakistan. the defence minister said that the forthcoming amendment would determine who will be appointed as the next top judge. 

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.

The federal cabinet is set to hold a meeting later today (Saturday) to discuss the much-hyped constitutional amendment following the approval of its draft, however, it faces multiple delays due to the ongoing process of consultations between the politicians.

If the cabinet approves the draft prepared after month-long deliberations, it will be presented in the Senate and National Assembly for approval.

Last month, the coalition government made a futile attempt to pass the constitutional package. 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.