Political leaders rally in full swing as govt pushes for 27th Constitutional Amendment

• PM assures MQM-P of support for LG law proposals.
• BAP delegation urges increase in Balochistan’s seats.
• PTI rejects PML-N’s proposal for 27th Amendment.
  

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday stepped up consultations with coalition partners as the federal government moves to table the 27th Constitutional Amendment, a year after the passage of the 26th Amendment. 

Plans for the proposed amendment were confirmed on November 3, when Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said that a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) delegation led by PM Shehbaz sought his party’s support in passing the amendment.

Later, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar stated that the amendment was “in the works”, while assuring lawmakers on the Senate floor on November 4 that parliament would debate the proposals before they were referred to committee.

In the latest round of political engagements, the prime minister held multiple meetings in Islamabad to build consensus on the proposed changes.

A seven-member Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) delegation met the prime minister today in Islamabad, where they discussed the proposed amendment.

During the meeting, PM Shehbaz assured the delegation of supporting their proposals for the local government law in the 27th Amendment.

The premier also met delegations from the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP).

Later, a Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) delegation — including Federal Minister for Science and Technology Khalid Hussain Magsi and Senator Manzoor Kakar — pushed for increased representation for Balochistan in the provincial and national assemblies under the proposed amendment.

PML-Z chief Ijaz-ul-Haq and National Party MNA Mir Pullain Baloch also held discussions with the prime minister on the matter.

So far, the 27th Amendment proposals include establishing a Constitutional Court and an amendment to Article 243, which addresses the control and command of the armed Forces.

Other proposals include appointing executive magistrates, transferring judges, removing protection for the provincial share in the NFC Award, returning education and population planning to the federation, and appointments to the Election Commission of Pakistan.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has rejected the draft, warning that the amendment would undermine judicial independence and provincial autonomy.

Senior PTI leader Asad Qaiser said any attempt to alter the NFC Award could create “national instability”, while also opposing the establishment of a Constitutional Court.

PTI had earlier challenged the 26th Constitutional Amendment in court.

Government numbers in Parliament

The PML-N-led government currently holds support of 237 members in the National Assembly, where 224 votes are required for constitutional amendments.

The ruling coalition includes 125 members from the PML-N, 74 from the PPP, 22 MQM-P, five PML-Q and four IPP, along with one member each from PML-Zia, BAP, and the National Party, plus four independents.

In the Senate, the alliance has 61 members, needing 64 votes to approve the amendment.

The 26th Amendment passed the National Assembly last year with 225 votes, and the Senate with 65 votes — just one above the required threshold in each house.