Capital buzzes with political activity

ISLAMABAD:

The federal capital witnessed an unprecedented surge in political activity on Sunday, despite it being a public holiday. The government ramped up efforts to prepare a constitutional package and sought to secure the support of its allies for passage through both houses of parliament.

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar met with Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, a key partner in the ruling coalition, in the latter's chamber at the parliament house. They held in-depth discussions on the proposed constitutional package.

In the meeting, Bilawal briefed the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) delegation, including Law Minister Senator Azam Nazir Tarar, about his overnight talks with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, according to sources.

"The focus of the talks was on aligning views on the constitutional amendment draft and reviewing the numbers required for its passage in both the National Assembly and Senate," a source said. "The meeting aims to address his [Maulana Fazl's] concerns and seek his endorsement."

Later in the day, Bilawal chaired a meeting of the PPP parliamentary party. The meeting was attended by all the party members of the National Assembly and the Senate. Bilawal briefed the lawmakers on the party's agenda and policies.

Fazl, on the other hand, chaired a meeting of the JUI-F parliamentary party in which he informed the party lawmakers about his meetings with the government and the opposition leaders, JUI-F spokesperson Aslam Ghori said.

He added that a government delegation, led by Deputy Prime Minister Dar and including Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Law Minister Tarar, called on Fazl and held consultation on the proposed constitutional amendments.

Also, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Dr Farooq Sattar held an informal meeting at Speaker Ayaz Sadiq's chamber. After the meeting, he told reporters that the party would decide on the constitutional amendments after receiving its details.

"If a constitutional amendment is necessary for the country's stability, it should be enacted," he said. "We will make a decision once we receive the detailed content," he added. To a question, he said the JUI-F chief had some secondary disagreements but understood the most issues.

"There are thousands of unresolved cases. When will they be addressed?" he questioned. "The country cannot move forward without resolving the constitutional and political crises. We believe stability is crucial for the nation's future," Sattar stressed.

Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a late-night meeting with Maulana Fazl. According to sources, the prime minister once again invited Fazl to join the government. Constitutional amendments were also discussed during the meeting.

Reportedly, Fazl requested for the draft of the constitutional amendments, stating he would respond after consulting his party. Afterwards, a government delegation, including Law Minister Tarar and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, met with Fazl to discuss judicial reforms and the proposed amendments.

As the day progressed, all eyes were on Fazl, as his support appeared mandatory for the passage of the constitutional amendments. In the meanwhile, the schedule of the Senate session was changed twice, which gave credence to this notion.

The Senate was scheduled to meet at 4pm on Sunday. However, in the afternoon, it was announced that the session would take place at 7pm. The announcement stated that the Senate offices would remain open till the session continued.

Talking to the media later, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar explained that consultations on the proposed constitutional amendments were ongoing, as he dispelled the impression of any "person-specific" legislation.

"The consultation includes legal experts from all parties. The opinion of experts is sought on each point," he said, adding that the delay occurred because the government wanted consultation will all sides. "Constitutional amendments are a serious matter, it could be delayed," he said.

The minister said that efforts were afoot to complete "a positive and thorough consultation" regarding the constitutional amendments. We are trying to make progress. If there is consensus as a result of these consultations, it will be an improvement," he added.

"Parliament has the right to amend the Constitution and the laws. The people have elected us by their votes and sent us to parliament, so it is our duty to enact legislation in the interest of the people, which will benefit them," he emphasised.

Talking to a private TV channel on Sunday night, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that the government had achieved the magic number in both the upper and the lower houses of parliament for the passage of the constitutional amendment bill.

He also claimed the support of JUI-F chief Maulana Fazl after his reservations were removed. "Apart from Maulana Fazl and coalition parties, some other votes will be secured," the minister said without going into the details. "They are not legally or constitutionally bound to any party."

Asif's interview came as JUI-F General Secretary Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri told reporters that the party had asked the government not to rush the bill in parliament. "We haven't received the draft amendment bill yet […] how can we vote before analysing it," he said.

Speaking to the media outside Fazl's residence, Haideri stressed that the opposition parties should also review the amendment bill, saying they have sought "some time" before making a decision. "We discussed this with our friends of the PTI, and we've talked to the government," he said.

However, a government spokesperson told the channel that the law ministry had briefed parliamentarians on the proposed amendments. "Maybe the bill in its actual copy was not in Ghafoor Haideri's hand but we are bringing lawmakers into the loop and we want to reflect their valuable input."