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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday held huddles with different allied parties on proposed 27th constitutional amendment in Islamabad. In a statement on November 3, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had revealed that the amendment proposal included setting up constitutional court, executive magistrates, transfer of judges, removal of protection of provincial share in National Finance Commission (NFC), amending Article 243, return of education and population planning to the federation and breaking dead lock on appointment of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) members. On PM Shehbaz’s seeking support from the largest opposition party on the amendment, Bilawal had said the PPP’s central executive party would be held on Thursday upon the president’s return from Doha to decide the party policy. A seven-member delegation of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) led by Convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui called on PM Shehbaz Sharif, wherein the Karachi-based political party has reportedly sought legislation on empowering local government departments, while also holding discussion and consultation on the proposed 27th constitutional amendment. The MQM-P delegation comprised Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori, Federal Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal, National Assembly members Dr Farooq Sattar, Javed Hanif Khan, Syed Amin-ul-Haq, and Khawaja Izhar-ul-Hassan. The meeting was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, federal ministers Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Azam Nazeer Tarar, Ahad Khan Cheema, Attaullah Tarar, and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, and Advisor to Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah. The MQM delegation briefed the prime minister on the proposed constitutional amendments related to the local governments. The MQM has demanded an amendment to Article 140 of the Constitution to grant local bodies greater constitutional powers, Aaj News reported quoting sources as saying. The sources said that the MQM delegation also proposed holding general elections within 90 days and reducing the tenure of assemblies to four years. Another key recommendation presented by the MQM was the transfer of funds received by provinces under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award to local governments, aiming to ensure that development funds directly reach the grassroots level. The MQM maintained that urban issues cannot be resolved until local governments are granted constitutional protection and financial autonomy. According to sources, the MQM recommended that Prime Minister Shehbaz approve the proposed constitutional amendments concerning local governments as well. Separately, President of Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party and Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan, along with Minister of State for Overseas Pakistanis Awn Chaudhry, also called on PM Shehbaz and held discussion and consultation on the proposed 27th Constitutional amendment. A four-member delegation of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q), led by Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Chaudhry Salik Hussain, also held a meeting with the prime minister and shed light on the same proposed constitutional amendment. The delegation included Senator Kamil Ali Agha and members of the National Assembly Chaudhry Muhammad Ilyas and Farrukh Khan, the PMO said. Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the House in the Senate, Ishaq Dar, on Tuesday confirmed that the government is bringing the 27th Constitutional Amendment in the Parliament and that he would request the government to move the proposed law in the Senate first, instead of the National Assembly. “The 27th Constitutional Amendment is coming. Normally, (such) legislative drafts are shared in the NA first, but if you are in a hurry and you want to see this amendment’s draft, I would request the government to move the 27th Constitutional Amendment here first,” Dar had said, addressing the opposition side, on the maiden day of the 355th Senate session on Tuesday. He had asked Law Minister Azam Tarar to take up the matter with the government to ensure that the amendment is moved in the Upper House ahead of tabling it in the Lower House.
