Islambad(The COW News Digital)The federal cabinet of Pakistan is scheduled to meet today in what is being described as a crucial session, with strong expectations that the draft of the 27th Constitutional Amendment will be approved. According to government sources, cabinet members will be briefed in detail on the contents and proposed reforms before the amendment is formally endorsed.
Officials indicate that once the draft is approved, it will be presented in the Senate later today, marking the next step in the legislative process. The amendment has been under discussion among coalition partners for several weeks, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif actively engaging allied parties to secure a consensus.
One of the key developments in recent days was the agreement reached with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). During a meeting with the Prime Minister, the MQM leadership expressed concerns regarding local governance structures, seeking guarantees that elected municipal bodies will receive political, administrative, and financial authority. They also recommended that the term of local governments be fixed at four years, with subsequent elections conducted under a caretaker setup. The Prime Minister assured MQM that their proposals would be incorporated into the amendment, following which the party confirmed its support.
Moreover, MQM has reportedly agreed to play a role in persuading other coalition partners to back the bill. Meanwhile, delegations from Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party, Pakistan Muslim League (Q), and Balochistan Awami Party also held separate consultations with the Prime Minister to discuss the amendment and reinforce the government’s efforts to ensure smooth passage.
However, not all coalition partners are aligned. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), a key member of the ruling alliance, has rejected nearly all clauses of the proposed amendment, except the proposed modification to Article 243, which pertains to powers relating to the appointment of the military leadership. PPP’s Central Executive Committee held a dedicated meeting to review the draft and formally concluded that it would support only the amendment linked to Article 243. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari confirmed that the party would not endorse the remaining components.
The coming hours are expected to be critical, as the government navigates political negotiations to secure the necessary majority for the amendment’s passage. The session’s outcome will hold significant implications for governance structure, power distribution, and political alignment across Pakistan’s evolving parliamentary landscape.
