Federal cabinet approves 26th Constitutional Amendment

The Federal Cabinet has approved the 26th Constitutional Amendment bill during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the Parliament House, as reported by Express News on Sunday.

Prior to the cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz met with President Asif Ali Zardari for detailed discussions on the proposed constitutional amendment, during which the president was briefed and consulted.

After the meeting, Federal Minister Musadik Malik stated that the government has approved its draft, which was created in collaboration with the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), the government, and coalition partners. The cabinet has officially endorsed the draft.

Meanhile, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has assured the government of his party’s support for the constitutional amendment in parliament, effectively ending the deadlock between the two sides.

He has instructed his party's senators to back the government’s bill, urging full support for the amendment in both the National Assembly and the Senate.

After the JUI-F chief's announcement, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari stated that whether PTI supports it or not, their aim is to complete the task today under any circumstances.

Speaking to the media at Parliament House, Bilawal expressed disappointment over PTI's reaction following the press conference held by him and Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

He further said, "Congratulations to everyone on the 26th Constitutional Amendment day; there is no contentious point left in this amendment."

Bilawal added that he contacted Maulana Fazlur Rehman over the phone and expressed his gratitude, saying, "No amount of thanks is enough for Maulana. His role will be remembered in history. I'm grateful that he instructed his senators to ensure their presence for the amendment."

Moreover, strict security arrangements were put in place for today’s session of Pakistan’s National Assembly, with guest entry strictly prohibited, according to the Assembly's spokesperson.

Only media representatives holding full-session press gallery cards issued by the Directorate General of Media, National Assembly Secretariat, will be allowed to enter Parliament House, Express News reported. In a move to tighten regulations, the issuance of one-day press gallery cards has been halted.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly’s 9-point agenda for today’s session has also been released. Today’s National Assembly session was scheduled to at 6 pm, while voting is currently underway in the Senate.

The constitutional amendments, were expected to be presented in parliament, after a series of high-level meetings at Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s residence in Islamabad.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s residence became a political hub on Saturday, with key figures such as Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, and Balochistan National Party (Mengal) leader Akhtar Mengal all visiting for discussions.

Previously Fazlur Rehman stated that PTI had requested time to finalise its stance on the constitutional amendment. He added that after receiving their response, the bill will be presented in parliament for consensus approval.

However, earlier today PTI decided to boycott the voting process in the National Assembly and Senate concerning the 26th Constitutional Amendments. The decision was announced in a statement following a meeting of the party's political committee.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar had earlier also noted that proposals from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman have been incorporated into the draft.