ISLAMABAD: PML-N leader Senator Irfan Siddiqui met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday to discuss the strategy for getting the much-hyped constitutional package passed in the parliament.

The government’s previous attempt to table the amendments in parliament remained unsuccessful last month as it failed to cobble up the two-thirds majority required to amend the Constitution.

Now, the government wants to present the amendments in the two houses with a stronger position in parliament and has been trying to convince JUI-F emir Maulana Fazlur Rehman to be on their side.

Mr Siddiqui, who recently met the JUI-F emir, told the prime minister about that meeting.

Apprises PM of his meeting with Fazl; Rabbani warns against relying on votes of ‘defectors’

When contacted by Dawn, Senator Siddiqui said he apprised the PM of his meeting with Mr Rehman and his stance on the proposed constitutional amendments.

“I have asked the PM that we [coalition government] need Maulana’s association even if he does not support the constitutional package,” the senator said.

The statement from the Prime Minister’s Office on the meeting between PM Shehbaz and Senator Siddiqui said they discussed matters related to the performance of PML-N’s parliamentary party in the Senate and the country’s overall political situation.

Senator Siddiqui also congratulated the PM for highlighting the stance of Pakistan and the Muslim world during his address to the UN General Assembly.

‘Rely on govt votes’

Leaders of the ruling PML-N have been claiming that they have the required number of votes, especially after the JUI-F chief, during a meeting with TV anchors, expr­essed his consent to the idea of establishing a constitutional court.

Senator Siddiqui also confirmed that the proposed legislation could be tabled in the parliament next week.

He said the JUI-F chief has agreed to the formation of the constitutional court, but he has objections to some of its components and wants to keep PTI on board in this regard.

Meanwhile, PPP Senator Raza Rabbani has advised the ruling coalition not to rely on the votes of defecting lawmakers to pass the constitutional amendment.

In a statement, he said the original intent of Article 63-A of the Constitution “places a bar on a member from voting against party lines on a constitutional amendment”.

Instead of relying on defectors, he said the government should evolve a consensus among political parties present in the parliament so that they vote in favour of the amendments.

The senator said the proposed amendments should be made public, and a debate inside and outside parliament should be held to “build the broadest consensus possible”.

Mr Rabbani warned that “controversial constitutional amendments” have never stood the test of history.

Published in Dawn, October 5th, 2024