No decision to hold joint presser with allies, says law minister on constitutional package

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar on Wednesday rebutted the rumours suggesting that the government was planning to hold a joint presser with its allied parties.

Speaking during an informal talk with journalists today, Tarar said: "No decision has been taken yet to hold a press conference with the allies."

The clarification comes after the ruling coalition wasn't able to secure the required numbers — a two-thirds majority — in the parliament to push through the prospective constitutional amendment, which included several provisions including the extension of judges' retirement ages.

The government on Monday confirmed that the amendments were "postponed indefinitely" after Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman didn't concede to the government's strenuous efforts to support the legislation that allegedly included legislation to extend the tenure of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa — who is retiring in October this year.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which has strongly opposed the constitutional package terming it an individual-specific legislation, met Fazl a day earlier with former president Dr Arif Alvi and party's Secretary General Salman Akram Raja in an effort to sway him against the prospective tweaks in the Constitution.

A petition has also been moved in the apex court under Article 184(3) of the Constitution seeking the prospective amendments to be declared "ultra vires" the Constitution, principle of separation of powers, independence of judiciary and fundamental rights.

The plea was submitted by former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Abid Zuberi, former federal minister for education Shafqat Mahmood, Shahab Sarki, Ishtiaq Ahmed Khan, Munir Kakar and others.

However, the ruling coalition has denied the amendments to be specific to any individual with Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari saying that Justice Mansoor Ali Shah will be the next chief justice.

"Under the Charter of Democracy, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission still remains unformed," Bilawal remarked while speaking on peaking on the Geo News programme "Capital Talk" on Tuesday.

Expanding on the constitutional package, Tarar said that bar councils will be taken into confidence as they are stakeholders in the said matter.

"I will clarify the government's position on the constitutional amendments in the bar councils meeting today," he said, adding that he might speak to the media persons along with bar councils' representatives.