Islamabad, October 10,2024- A special committee meeting of Parliament has been convened tomorrow to discuss the proposed 26th constitutional amendments. According to sources, the meeting will be chaired by Khursheed Shah at Parliament House, where final consultations on the draft amendments will take place.
Representatives from various parties, including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), are expected to attend. Special invitations have been extended to Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Asad Qaiser, and Amir Dogar.
This marks the fifth in-camera meeting of the special parliamentary committee. Sources indicate that Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar will also participate in the meeting, along with Barrister Gohar and opposition leader Umar Ayub Khan.
Notably, the PML-N and PPP have reached an agreement on the draft of the constitutional amendments. A delegation from the PPP, led by Chairman Bilawal Bhutto, met with PML-N President Nawaz Sharif to discuss the proposed amendments. During this meeting, Bilawal informed Nawaz about the political party engagements regarding the amendments.
The discussions also covered a new draft proposed by Maulana Fazlur Rehman concerning the constitutional amendments. Bilawal Bhutto briefed Nawaz Sharif on Fazlur Rehman’s conditions and suggestions, to which Nawaz Sharif agreed. The amendments suggested by Fazlur Rehman have been included in the draft.
Sources reveal that the date for presenting the constitutional amendments in Parliament will also be decided through consultations. Nawaz Sharif emphasized the need for consensus among all parliamentary parties and instructed that a final draft agreement be reached among the political groups.
Legal teams from the PPP, PML-N, and JUI-F will finalize the draft of the constitutional amendments. The timeline for presenting the amendments bill in the cabinet and Parliament will be determined after further consultations.