Defense Minister Khawaja Asif revealed on Saturday that while the numbers needed for the proposed constitutional amendment are complete, efforts to reach a consensus among political parties remain ongoing.
Speaking to journalists, Khawaja Asif stressed the importance of political agreement, stating, "It is better if we can achieve consensus on the 26th constitutional amendment. This will make it more beneficial in the future. However, even if a consensus is not reached, we still have the necessary numbers."
Responding to a question about the frequent changes to the National Assembly's schedule, the defense minister explained that the adjustments are part of ongoing efforts to foster consensus among political stakeholders.
Earlier, PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui informed the press that the draft of the constitutional amendment has been completed and is pending approval from the federal cabinet. "The draft is ready.
The federal cabinet was scheduled to approve it yesterday, but the meeting was cut short. Once the cabinet gives its approval, the draft will move to the Senate," he said.
The delay in the cabinet’s approval has fueled uncertainty, with a scheduled cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ending without a final decision on the constitutional amendment. The meeting was adjourned and is expected to resume later today at 9:30 AM.
Meanwhile, efforts to build consensus within the governing coalition continue, as tensions remain high. The Senate session, originally scheduled for 12:30 PM, has been postponed to 3:00 PM, according to a notification from the Senate Secretariat.
Despite the government's optimism, opposition parties have maintained their opposition to the proposed amendment. Protests over the alleged harassment of opposition lawmakers continued in both the National Assembly and Senate, with opposition leaders vowing not to support the bill under current circumstances.
