Cabinet Meeting Delayed Amid Lack of Consensus on Constitutional Amendments
The federal cabinet meeting, intended to approve proposed constitutional amendments, has been delayed once again, creating uncertainty about whether the amendments will be presented to the National Assembly today. Sources indicate that the meeting has not yet been convened, and any final decision on the amendments will only be made once a consensus is reached in the special committee.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman is reportedly playing a key role in negotiating an agreement.
Despite ongoing efforts, a deadlock remains between the government and opposition parties regarding the constitutional amendments. Until a consensus is achieved, the draft bill will not move forward to the National Assembly or Senate.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has departed from Islamabad to Lahore, followed by Hamza Shehbaz.
According to sources, the constitutional bill will only be presented to the cabinet once a final decision is reached, with Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s approval being crucial.
For now, the National Assembly’s agenda for the day includes the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2024 and a motion to express gratitude for the president’s joint address to both houses of parliament. However, the constitutional amendment bill remains absent.
The delay in presenting the amendments is attributed to the government’s struggle to secure the necessary two-thirds majority support in the assembly.
Political Standoff Delays Constitutional Bill
The ruling coalition, led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman are at an impasse over the proposed constitutional amendments.
Despite efforts, both the National Assembly and Senate, which had been urgently convened to discuss the amendments, ended their sessions without progress. A series of meetings throughout the day failed to produce a breakthrough, prolonging the political deadlock.
Attempts to build consensus continued at Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s residence and during meetings held by the special committee at Parliament House. These meetings, chaired by Khursheed Shah of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), have been frequent but have yet to resolve the contentious issues, leaving the deadlock over the amendments unresolved.
The government shared the main points of the proposed amendments but has yet to release the full draft. Information Minister Ataullah Tarar stated that the draft had been shared with JUI-F leadership, but JUI-F spokesperson Aslam Ghauri contradicted this, noting that the details had only been discussed verbally.
The opposition, including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has expressed reluctance to commit to any amendments until the draft is made available for review. PPP leader Khursheed Shah confirmed that consultations are ongoing within the committee, with further decisions pending.
Key points of contention include the extension of the chief justice’s term and the establishment of constitutional courts. The JUI-F has opposed the extension and raised several questions, contributing to the continued deadlock.
A resolution remains uncertain until further consensus is reached.
