A federal cabinet meeting scheduled to be held today (Friday) to approve draft of 27th constitutional amendment has been postponed, and new time for the session will be announced later.
According to the 24NewsHD TV channel, all the federal ministers have been informed about the postponement of the meeting.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had earlier called the cabinet meeting for Friday at 9:45 am in the Parliament House, where the draft of the 27th Constitutional Amendment was to be presented for approval.
Following cabinet approval, the amendment bill was scheduled to be tabled in the Senate. All cabinet members had been directed to attend the meeting.
Sources said that after the approval of the 27th amendment bill in the cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was expected to leave for Baku.
The deferment of the cabinet meeting came apparently after Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed his party’s disagreement with certain proposed clauses of the 27th Constitutional Amendment during a media talk following the PPP Central Executive Council’s (CEC) meeting last night in Karachi.
Speaking to the media, Bilawal said the PPP had rejected the proposed constitutional amendment related to the National Finance Commission (NFC).
He said his party disagreed with any move that would diminish the provinces’ share and added that the PPP would never accept the removal of the constitutional protection granted to the NFC Award.
Bilawal also stressed that all four provinces should have equal representation in the proposed constitutional court.
However, he said the PPP would support the amendment concerning the conferral of the Field Marshal’s position and expressed support for the proposed change in Article 243.
Meanwhile, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman is expected to travel to Karachi today, where he will meet President Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to discuss matters related to the 27th Constitutional Amendment.
Last night, an MQM delegation met Fazlur Rehman at his residence to seek his support for certain clauses in the amendment draft.
The MQM has recommended the inclusion of provisions in the 27th Amendment related to local government powers in Sindh and the rights of urban populations.
It is pertinent to mention that yesterday, a 32-member joint parliamentary committee was constituted to review and finalise the draft of the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill.
After receiving approval from the federal cabinet, the bill was to be presented in the Senate today by Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar.
Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani was then expected to refer the bill to the Joint Committee on Law and Justice of Parliament for further consideration.
According to sources, the committee will be headed by senior parliamentarian Farooq H Naik and will comprise members from both the Senate and the National Assembly, representing multiple political parties.
From the Senate, the committee includes Senators Shahadat Awan, Kamran Murtaza, Abdul Qadir, Syed Ali Zafar, Rubina Naz, Azam Swati, Zameer Ghumro, Khalil Tahir, Talal Chaudhry, and Hamid Khan. The National Assembly members on the committee are Bashir Virk, Gohar Ali Khan, Ali Muhammad Khan, Umair Khan Niazi, Chengiz Khan, Latif Khosa, Syed Qasim Gilani, Rana Qasim Noon, Dr Nafisa Shah, Syed Abrar Ali Shah, Naveed Qamar, Hassan Sabir, Syed Hafeezuddin, Kiran Haider, Alia Kamran, Zahra Wadood Fatemi, Saira Tarar, Mahjabeen Abbasi, and Shumaila Rana. Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar will also serve as a member of the committee.
According to parliamentary sources, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has boycotted all parliamentary committees, including this one.
However, the joint committee retains the authority to invite members of the National Assembly for consultations or expert input.
The committee will review the 27th Amendment Bill clause by clause before submitting its recommendations for final approval by both houses of Parliament.
Reporter: Awais Kiyani