LAHORE: A significant breakthrough has been reached regarding the 26th constitutional amendment between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) as the top leadership of the parties met at Jati Umra, the residence of PML-N President Nawaz Sharif.
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and other senion members of the three parties attended the meeting.
Sources claimed that a consensus was reached on the 26th constitutional amendment.
According to sources, Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif had earlier met senior party leaders. The PML-N delegation then held consultations with Maulana Fazl for over an hour.
A meeting also took place between Nawaz Sharif and Maulana Fazl and the senior leadership of both parties attended the meeting.
During the meeting, consensus was reached on the proposed 26th constitutional amendment, the scources claimed.
Nawaz and Shehbaz Sharif assured Maulana Fazl that his reservations would be addressed.
A detailed briefing on the numbers game in both houses of Parliament was also discussed during the meeting.
A strategy for ensuring the amendment’s passage through both houses of Parliament was also finalised, with leaders of like-minded parties assigned the responsibility of ensuring MPs’ attendance.
Sources said that the three parties have agreed on a joint draft, which is expected to be presented in the National Assembly and Senate sessions on October 17.
It should be noted that consensus has already been reached between the PPP and JUI-F on the constitutional draft.