ISLAMABAD: The meeting of the Federal Cabinet, which was scheduled to approve the proposal of 27th Constitutional Amendment today, has been postponed.
Sources said that the federal cabinet was supposed to approve the proposal of the 27th Constitutional Amendment before Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visit to Azerbaijan, which is scheduled on November 8.
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Cabinet members have been official informed regarding the postponement of the meeting. Now, the meeting is likely to takeplace on Monday or Tuesday after the return of PM Shehbaz from foriegn visit.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit Baku to attend Azerbaijan’s Victory Day celebrations, marking the nation’s liberation of Nagorno-Karabakh and its triumph over Armenia. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will also participate in the national festivities. During his visit, Prime Minister Shehbaz is expected to hold meetings with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and other senior officials to discuss bilateral ties, regional cooperation, and energy partnerships.
Number Game:
In the National Assembly, which currently has 326 active members due to 10 vacant seats, 224 votes are needed to pass the amendment. The ruling coalition presently commands the support of 237 members, including the PPP.
The coalition’s largest party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), holds 125 seats, followed by the PPP with 74, MQM with 22, PML-Q with 5, and IPP with 4. One member each represents PML-Zia, Balochistan Awami Party, and National Party, along with the backing of four independents.
On the opposition benches, there are 89 members, including 75 independents and 10 from JUI-F. Additionally, the Sunni Ittehad Council, Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen, BNP-Mengal, and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party each have one representative in the opposition.
Bilawal Bhutto’s annoucement:
Earlier, following the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Central Executive Commitee meeting, Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari announced party’s support for proposed amendment to Article 243 of the constitution.
However, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto said his party will not support any changes in NFC Award, Article 160(3A). Bilawal’s statement came after the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting in Karachi.
In a press briefing after the meeting of the PPP Central Executive Committee in Karachi, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the government has considered giving a new title to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, creating a post of National Strategic Command, and giving the post to the Field Marshal after defeating India. The Central Executive Committee has given me permission to support the move by the government.
He stated that his party opposed all suggested amendments except the amendment to Article 243 of the Constitution. The PPP chairman further mentioned that the final decision on the suggested constitutional court will be finalised today in the CEC meeting after Friday prayers.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and President Asif Ali Zardari chaired the meeting. PPP’s ministers from Sindh and Balochistan attended the meeting. Governors from Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Gilgit Baltistan were also present in the meeting.
The ruling PML-N has called on political stakeholders on the suggested amendments for forming a Constitutional Court and making certain changes to the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award.
