Overview
- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif led a PML-N delegation that met Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and President Asif Ali Zardari on Nov. 3 to request PPP support for the proposed constitutional changes.
- Per PPP statements, the package under discussion would create a Constitutional Court, restore executive magistrates, permit transfer of judges, revise Article 243, remove NFC share protections, return education and population planning to the Centre, and address ECP appointment deadlocks.
- PPP’s Central Executive Committee will meet on Nov. 6 in Karachi to set the party’s position, while the National Assembly convenes Nov. 5 with parliamentary leaders also gathering to plan the session.
- PTI has rejected the proposal, warning it would erode judicial independence and trigger unrest over any change to the NFC Award, though it offered to engage PPP on the NFC.
- Government figures say talks are at an early stage and no draft has been finalised, with Rana Sanaullah and Law Minister of State Aqeel Malik stressing the need for consensus and framing a Constitutional Court as longstanding policy.