Islamabad, November 6, 2025: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has assured the Muttahida Qaumi Movement–Pakistan (MQM-P) of the federal government’s support for its proposed amendments to strengthen local governments as part of the upcoming 27th Constitutional Amendment.
The assurance came during a meeting between an MQM-P delegation and the prime minister at the PM House on Thursday.
The delegation, led by party convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, included Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal, and National Assembly members Dr Farooq Sattar, Javed Hanif Khan, Syed Aminul Haque, and Khawaja Izharul Hassan.
From the government side, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, and federal ministers Khawaja Asif, Azam Nazeer Tarar, Ahad Khan Cheema, Attaullah Tarar, and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry attended the meeting. Advisor to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah was also present.
According to an MQM-P spokesperson, the prime minister assured the delegation that the party’s proposed bill related to Article 140-A—which deals with devolution of political, administrative, and financial powers to local governments—will be incorporated into the 27th Amendment.
The MQM-P’s meeting followed reports that the ruling Pakistan Muslim League–Nawaz (PML-N) is seeking broad political consensus for the constitutional package.
On November 3, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari confirmed that the government had approached his party for support. He said the proposed amendment includes changes to Article 243, the establishment of a Constitutional Court, and adjustments to the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award.
A day later, Deputy PM Ishaq Dar said the coalition government was also reaching out to other allies, including the MQM-P, Awami National Party (ANP), and Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), to build consensus.
While the PPP has reportedly agreed to most of the proposed changes, party sources quoted by The News said it has reservations about the NFC-related amendment, fearing it could undermine provincial autonomy and constitutional protection of provincial shares in national resources.
Bilawal Bhutto earlier outlined that the 27th Amendment seeks to introduce wide-ranging reforms — including the creation of constitutional courts, restoration of executive magistrates, transfer of judges, changes to the command structure of the armed forces (Article 243), and bringing education and population planning back to the federal list.
Government sources said that the coalition leadership has directed treasury MNAs and senators currently abroad to return to Islamabad ahead of the planned tabling of the bill. Most lawmakers have already arrived, while the remaining few are expected to return today, as the government prepares for what it hopes will be a smooth passage of the amendment through parliament.
Meanwhile, the PPP Central Executive Committee (CEC) is scheduled to meet today at Bilawal House, Karachi, following President Asif Ali Zardari’s return from Doha, to finalise the party’s stance on the proposed constitutional changes.
