Web Desk; Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said on Friday that the government would move forward only with the agreed portions of the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment, while contentious issues such as revisions to the 18th Amendment and the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award would remain under deliberation.
Speaking on Geo News programme Naya Pakistan, Sanaullah stated that the draft of the amendment was expected to be presented before the federal cabinet on Friday. However, the process was postponed because the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Central Executive Committee (CEC) had not yet finalised its stance.
“We decided to wait for PPP’s input before proceeding. Once their opinion is received, the draft will be finalised, approved by the cabinet, and then sent to the Senate,” he explained.
Commenting on the proposed establishment of a constitutional court, the adviser noted that the PPP had supported this idea since 2005, and both the PPP and PML-N were signatories to the Charter of Democracy. “PPP’s only demand was equal provincial representation, and PML-N has agreed to that,” he said.
Addressing PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s concerns over proposed changes to the subjects of education and population under the 18th Amendment, as well as the NFC formula, Sanaullah acknowledged that there was an imbalance between federal and provincial resources. “This imbalance must be corrected through mutual understanding,” he said.
He added that differing opinions existed on several other areas of the proposed 27th Amendment, including matters concerning local governments, voting rights for overseas Pakistanis, the Election Commission’s authority, and the transfer of judges. “These will only be finalised through consensus. If consensus is not achieved, discussions will continue,” he remarked.
Meanwhile, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said consultations among coalition parties were taking place in a “positive environment” and that no major obstacles existed regarding the 27th Amendment. “The overall feeling in meetings is that consensus is emerging and there are no significant roadblocks,” he told Geo News.
On the other hand, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan strongly criticised the move, asserting that the current parliament lacks the “mandate and moral authority” to amend the Constitution. Speaking to reporters at the Lahore High Court, he warned that the proposed amendment would weaken both the federation and the provinces.
He recalled that the 18th Amendment had been passed without any provincial objections and noted that the fate of the 26th Amendment still remains undecided in the Supreme Court. “An independent judiciary is the cornerstone of democracy, and PTI will not back any government-led constitutional changes,” he said.
Barrister Gohar also clarified that the party had given no protest call for November, emphasising that the release of PTI founder Imran Khan would happen “through legal means, not through any deal.”
