The PPP and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman reached Lahore’s Jati Umra residence of the Sharifs on Wednesday to discuss the proposed 26th constitutional amendment.
The much-talked-about Constitutional Package is legislation proposing a set of constitutional amendments, including the extension of the top judge’s term.
Three separate drafts of the constitutional package were being prepared — one by the government, the second by the PPP, and the third by the JUI-F. A committee, led by PPP’s Khursheed Shah, has the representation of all parties, including the PTI. It was formed by the National Assembly speaker for reconciliation among lawmakers, particularly between the PTI and the government, after a raid by plainclothesmen to round up the PTI men from the Parliament House.
The PPP and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) reached an agreement a day ago on a shared draft. Although the key points of the constitutional package were not disclosed, Fazl had made it clear that he had rejected the previous draft and would not compromise on parliamentary supremacy or the essence of the Constitution.
Apparently, the Maulana showed some flexibility during his meeting with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, where both leaders agreed on a joint draft for the proposed amendment and committed to building consensus among other parliamentary parties.
In that same vein to broaden the consensus, Fazl and Senator Kamran Murtaza reached the Sharifs’ home to attend a dinner by PML-N President Nawaz Sharif in honour of political leaders.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and others also welcomed the JUI-F delegation.
Separately, Bilawal and President Asif Ali Zardari also reached Jati Umra to discuss the constitutional amendment and the country’s political situation.
A video shared by the PPP also showed Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan and other leaders also attending the meeting.
Akhtar Mengal alleges raid on his lodges
Separately, Sardar Akhtar Mengal, chief of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), alleged that his lodges in Islamabad were raided.
“My party Senator Naseema Ehsan is confined to her apartment, and her son has been abducted. Meanwhile, my party’s other Senator Qasim Roonjo, who went for his dialysis at 8am in Islamabad, has been untraceable along with his son since then. Is this what democracy looks like?”
Additional reporting by Nadir Guramani.
