Govt engages PTI in informal talks on constitutional amendments

Amendments could be passed in Senate and National Assembly by first week of October, says Rana Sanaullah

Prime Minister’s Special Assistant, Rana Sanaullah, revealed on Tuesday that informal discussions on proposed constitutional amendments have been held with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), with the opposition party showing agreement on the improvements these amendments could bring.

In a statement, Sanaullah stated, "We have had informal talks with PTI on the matter of proposed constitutional amendments, and they too understand that these changes will lead to improvements."

He further noted that the amendments which have already seen consensus could be passed in the Senate and National Assembly by the first week of October. However, efforts are ongoing to build broader agreement on the remaining proposals.

"The fact that we don't yet have a two-thirds majority is not a failure of the government," he added. "We want to pass these amendments through consensus, ensuring that all political parties are on board."

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif echoed similar sentiments, stating that the draft of the proposed amendments has reached every political leader. He claimed that PTI had no objections to the amendments but requested that the process be delayed until December.

"They said they have no objections, but just asked for the amendments to be postponed until December," Asif revealed.

He also criticised the current state of judicial appointments, saying, "The process of appointing judges is still in the hands of the judiciary, with chambers having multiple lawyers as judges, some sitting in high courts, and others in the Supreme Court. What is going on here?"

Asif condemned the situation, stating, "This is a mockery of Pakistan's judiciary."

The government is pushing for a broad agreement on the amendments, which aim to address critical issues, including judicial reforms. However, with PTI signalling no strong opposition, the focus now shifts to ensuring that all political parties can reach a consensus to move forward.

While the government is confident in securing passage of the agreed amendments by early October, some aspects remain under discussion, and further dialogue with opposition parties is anticipated.