Overview
- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif tasked National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq to secure cross-party buy-in and the Speaker convened parliamentary leaders for briefings and one-on-one consultations.
- The prime minister cancelled official travel and directed ministers and lawmakers to stay in Islamabad, and officials say the government will use its numbers in the National Assembly if consensus fails.
- Parliamentary counts cited by media put the ruling bloc at 237 votes in the National Assembly, above the two‑thirds threshold of 224, with the opposition holding 89 seats.
- The coalition controls 61 seats in the Senate, three short of the 64 needed, and outreach to JUI-F and ANP senators is viewed as pivotal to clearing the upper house hurdle.
- Ministers denied any plan to roll back the 18th Amendment as debate focused on reported proposals such as a Constitutional Court, executive magistrates, judge transfers, changes to Article 243, adjustments to NFC safeguards, and shifting education and population planning to the federation.