ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has scheduled a special federal cabinet meeting for Sunday to review and approve the draft of a proposed constitutional amendment.
Local media reports say that following the cabinet’s approval, the draft will be presented to the National Assembly for further consideration.
Earlier, Senator Ishaq Dar, Leader of the House in the Senate and Deputy Prime Minister, informed the Upper House that the Constitutional Bill aligns with the Charter of Democracy (COD), which has been endorsed by all major political parties, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Dar highlighted a disconnect between the opposition leadership in the Senate and the National Assembly. He noted that the Special Parliamentary Committee, which includes PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali and Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan, had held its third in-camera meeting, despite Ayub Khan’s absence from the previous two sessions.
Dar advised the Opposition Leader to consult with his colleagues for details on the committee’s discussions. He also mentioned that the call for restoring parliamentary prestige and addressing arrests of some members had come from Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP). This led to the formation of a multi-party committee.
The National Assembly session is set for Sunday at 11:30 AM, followed by a Senate meeting at 4:00 PM on the same day to deliberate on the proposed constitutional changes.
