NATIONAL NEWS
KARACHI: The Pakistan Peoples Party has rejected nearly all major components of the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment, with Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari making it clear that the party will not allow any rollback of provincial authority or fiscal rights.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting of the party’s Central Executive Council (CEC), Bilawal said the PPP had accepted only one point from the amendment draft while dismissing the rest. He stressed that any attempt to alter the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award or reduce provincial allocations was unacceptable. “We completely oppose changes that would diminish the provincial share. The PPP will not endorse such measures under any circumstances,” he said.
Bilawal reaffirmed that the Charter of Democracy envisions a constitutional court, a concept the PPP still supports. However, he said the party insists that such a court must include equal representation from all four provinces to ensure fairness and uphold the federal structure. “Our position is simple: every province must have an equal voice,” he reiterated.
He added that the CEC would meet again today (Friday) to continue its review of the amendment and decide the party’s strategy moving forward. According to him, PPP’s guiding principle remains the protection of provincial autonomy and equality among federating units.
As the PPP firmed up its stance, the government stepped up outreach to coalition partners. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held extensive discussions with delegations from the PPP, MQM, Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party, and PML-Q to secure backing for the amendment. These talks focused on the political implications and clauses of the proposed changes, with officials describing the engagement as thorough and aimed at forging agreement.
A senior PPP delegation held a detailed meeting with the prime minister to convey the party’s reservations. The delegation included Irfan Qadir, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Naveed Qamar, and Sherry Rehman. Representing the government were Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Rana Sanaullah, and Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan.
Following the meeting, the PPP team returned to Karachi via a special flight from Noor Khan Airbase to participate in the CEC session where internal consultations would continue.
The government has also decided to set up a joint parliamentary committee to scrutinize the proposed amendment. According to sources, the committee is expected to be headed by Senator Farooq H. Naek and will include representatives from all parliamentary parties—including the opposition.
The 27th Amendment will be placed before the Senate tomorrow, where approval will be sought to formally constitute the committee. The Senate chairman is expected to request nominations for the panel from National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq. The committee will have two days to examine the amendment and present its recommendations.
