Tweaks panel fails to reach consensus

The meeting of the special parliamentary committee for constitutional amendment ended on Wednesday without any conclusion, with no participation from PTI and JUI-F members.

The meeting was presided by the committee's chairman Khursheed Shah and attended by Sherry Rehman, Ejazul Haq, Farooq Sattar and Khalid Magsi among others while no representative from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf participated in the meeting. Senator Anosha Rehman joined the meeting via video link.

A total of 12 from 39 members participated in the session, including eight MNAs and four Senators. The majority of the committee members could not reach the venue due to closure of roads.

During the meeting, the government's coalition party BAP also submitted its draft. The party clarified that its votes for the constitutional amendment were subject to the fulfillment of three conditions, namely increase in the seats of Balochistan Assembly, more representation for Balochistan in the National Assembly and formation of five-member panel of judges.

Sources said the committee merged the draft proposals of political parties.

On the occasion, Federal Minister Rana Tanveer expressed optimism that the amendments would be passed.

Speaking to the media, Khursheed Shah said the committee integrated the draft proposals of four parties, adding PTI Chief Whip Amir Dogar contacted him and requested to postpone the meeting for the reason that the party was deliberating on the constitutional amendments in its meeting.

PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui called the parliamentary committee meeting. The PML-N leadership directed its Senators to ensure their presence in the federal capital.

Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari summoned National Assembly and Senate sessions on Thursday (today) for tabling the 26th constitutional amendment bill. The coalition parties have asked their parliamentarians to reach the federal capital immediately. Lawmakers who are abroad have also been asked by the parties to immediately cut short their trips, and reach the country to attend the important sessions on October 17.

The Parliamentary Affairs Ministry had sent a summary to the prime minister to convene the National Assembly session at 4pm and Senate session at 3pm. The summary was then sent to the president for final approval.

Earlier on Tuesday, PPP and JUI-F had evolved consensus on the draft of the constitutional amendment. Speaking at a press conference in Karachi, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman expressed hope that a consensus would be reached on this bill to ensure that the constitutional amendment is passed unanimously. He thanked Bilawal Bhutto for his role in reaching this agreement.