- PPP ensured representation of provinces in SC, FCC: Bilawal.
- He says the PPP’s support is essential for the government to amend the constitution.
- Inflation hits Pakistani citizens hard: Bilawal.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Thursday denied any immediate discussions with the federal government over a possible 28th Constitutional Amendment, saying he would comment if there was any progress.
“Conversations on the 28th Amendment have not yet taken place; [but] I don’t know tomorrow,” he said while addressing the parliamentary meeting of the PPP party.
During the meeting, Bilawal said that he himself had spoken about the 27th Amendment and noted that the 26th and 27th constitutional amendments had ensured provincial rights.
He added that the PPP’s efforts ensured representation of all provinces in the Supreme Court and the Federal Constitutional Court.
His comments follow State of Law Minister Advocate Aqeel Malik’s statement rejecting impressions that the possible 28th Amendment would roll back the 18th.
“It creates an impression that if the 28th Amendment is introduced, it will be a reversal of the 18th Amendment; I think that is creating an extremely false impression,” Malik said during Geographic news‘Capital Talk’ program.
The minister added that no official work was currently being done on any constitutional amendment, but acknowledged that broader national issues had been discussed previously.
The 18th Amendment, passed during the PPP-led government in 2010, has sparked many debates in the past, with calls for changes. However, the PPP has strongly opposed such proposals and has vowed to resist any changes to the amendment.
Meanwhile, the PPP chief constituted a four-member committee, comprising national MPs Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Naveed Qamar, and senators Saleem Mandviwala and Sherry Rehman, for budget negotiations with the federal government.
According to Bilawal, the federal government would not be able to amend the constitution or pass the budget without his party’s support.
He warned that the next budget could bring greater hardship for the public.
Pakistan is facing an economic crisis, he said, warning that inflation was severely affecting citizens across the country.
The PPP chief said political parties also felt the suffering of the public, adding that he welcomed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s relief measures in difficult times.
The prime minister had asked the provinces to help the federation curb inflation, he said, adding that the PPP would work with the federal government to ease economic pressure on the public.
He maintained that no offer had been made to him regarding the war and negotiations between Iran and the United States, while expressing hope that talks between Tehran and Washington would be successful in the future.
