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The political Holy Grail the nation has been waiting for, the Constitutional reforms package is looking more deformed by the minute. First the package crossed its March 23rd deadline, and then reports emerged over the reforms package being blindsided by the issue of renaming the NWFP. And now PMLN Chief Nawaz Sharif has opened a whole new can of worms on the upcoming bill in a shocking press conference today.
In his presser, the PMLN Chief contended that there was lack of consensus on several major issues, a big blow to the general political view that all decisions made by the Standing committee on constitutional reform were being done by bringing all parties on board.
Nawaz Sharif has pointed to two critical matters. The first was on the judicial appointment framework, where he claimed his party had major differences with the PPP, but was not taken into consideration. This was despite the fact that the judicial appointment framework was the same one drafted under the Charter of Democracy, which both the PMLN and the PPP agreed to.
The second bone of contention for the PMLN Chief was the elimination of the 17th amendment. Contrary to all past reports that the amendment would be removed to make way for parliamentary empowerment, Nawaz Sharif said he was not optimistic that the 17th amendment would be finished through the constitutional reforms package.
The PMLN Chief also remarked that the renaming of the NWFP, which many consider as the final hurdle standing in the way of the constitutional package, is a matter which should be resolved through consensus, no matter how long it takes.
Mr Sharif’s presser has sent shockwaves throughout the political landscape. Politicians from all parties have disputed the PMLN Chief’s version of events. PML Senator S-M Zafar, who is part of the constitutional reforms committee, said that consensus has been the only approach adopted by the committee, and that the 17th amendment is being eliminated. Senator Zafar commented that perhaps Mr. Sharif was wrongly briefed by his party members on the committee’s proceedings.
Peoples Party State Minister Nabil Gabol indicated his displeasure with the PMLN leader’s press briefing, saying that the N-league is trying to sabotage the constitutional reforms package, and is trying to sideline the real hurdle, which was the renaming of the NWFP.
MQM Federal Minister Farooq Sattar said he was “shocked” with the presser, saying there was nothing but an impartial process followed by the constitutional committee.
The PMLN’s abrupt U-Turn has certainly transformed the perception of the party and the constitutional reforms package, which was tipped as the way out of our political whirlpool. Instead it seems, the PMLN has brought the nation to yet another political quicksand. The parliamentary sessions for tomorrow, in which the package was supposed to be unveiled, have been delayed, and Mr. Sharif’s press conference has been a critical setback to the legislation. How badly will this affect the political landscape of the country remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure...political turmoil is now on the horizon once more.
