Lahore – Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar on Saturday said that any constitutional amendment process will only proceed with consensus, adding there were currently no signs of a 28th Amendment.“We are a coalition government; how can we proceed with constitutional amendments without consultation?” he said while talking to reporters in Lahore after a conference on minority rights.
“The constitutional changes can be introduced, [but] only if an agreement is reached,” he added. He recalled that the 18th Amendment was also introduced with a consensus amongst political parties.
According to the law minister, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) will first consult with its allies in parliament and proceed on the matter only after receiving a “signal” from its allies.
He added that all stakeholders will come together for dialogue on key issues requiring agreement, stressing past consensus models, including those from 2009, could guide future discussions.
“Nothing is clear yet; the contours of any amendment become visible once a draft is prepared,” Tarar said. His clarification comes a day after Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari denied of any immediate talks on a proposed 28th Constitutional Amendment.
No talks have taken place yet on the 28th Amendment; [but] I do not know about tomorrow,” he said while addressing the PPP’s parliamentary party meeting on Thursday.
Bilawal’s remarks followed State Minister for Law Barrister Aqeel Malik’s statement, rejecting impressions that the 28th Amendment would roll back the 18th.
Meanwhile, the law minister reiterated that the constitutional amendment process will only move forward with consensus among coalition partners and stakeholders.
He noted that the federal government was facing governance challenges, stressing discussions on a number of national issues, including the National Finance Commission (NFC), the proposed Saraiki province, and the strengthening of local governments.
Tarar noted MQM-P’s advocacy for strengthening local governments, saying Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif gave him the responsibility to create consensus on the party’s suggestions.
The law minister said that coordination between PM Shehbaz and President Asif Ali Zardari would help advance consultations on key national matters.
