Fazl forces govt into dropping FCC idea
Instead, a consensus was reached to form a constitutional bench within the Supreme Court, comprising 5 or 9 judges.
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman emerged victorious for the second time in two months, having not only thwarted the ruling alliance's attempt to pass the constitutional amendment in September but also convincing the ruling parties to drop the plan for the FCC. The government has now settled for creating a constitutional division within the top court.
Despite visits, meetings and pleas by PML-N and PPP's top-tier leadership as well as President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Fazl did not budge an inch from his stance and finally succeeded in persuading the ruling alliance to not only change its constitutional amendment draft but also include the PTI in the consultative process.
Meanwhile, sources in the government said, the federal cabinet meeting has also been summoned on Friday to give its nod to the 26th constitutional amendment. After the cabinet's approval, they said, the constitutional amendment will be tabled in the Senate and National Assembly.
On Thursday, a flurry of activities took place in the federal capital, which included a meeting between the president and prime minister, NA special committee meeting on proposed amendments, a lunch-eon hosted by the PM for ruling alliance's senators and sessions of both houses of parliament. Such engagements helped shape the apparent consensus on the 26th constitutional amendment.
The first confirmation on PML-N and PPPP accession to JUI-F demands emerged from the meeting of the special committee as both the parties sitting on treasury benches made changes to their proposals. While commenting on the development, a key member of the ruling alliance shared with The Express Tribune that the decision was taken "in the larger interest of parliamentary consensus."
By the afteroon, it became evident that the government and its allies have shelved the idea of FCC, which was the central focus of the government-proposed amendments, and agreed on forming only a bench in the apex court. Subsequently, the senators who attended the luncheon confirmed to media that the consensus had reached on constituting only a bench in the SC as opposed to establishing a separate constitutional court in the country.
Following that, media reports said, a meeting was held between President Zardari and PM Shehbaz to discuss the proposed amendments and overall political situation in the country. Despite the consensus among the ruling parties and JUI-F, PTI has yet to disclose its mind about the proposed amendments as it acted as a mere spectator during the special committee meetings.
