No vote counting problem for 27th amendment: Vawda

Senator Faisal Vawda said the proposed 27th constitutional amendment had sufficient parliamentary support to be approved, dismissing concerns over the number of coalitions. He also said the 18th Amendment would not be repealed, while adding that discussions had already begun on proposals for a 28th Amendment.

Vawda met Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman at his residence in Islamabad on Wednesday as consultations continued among political parties on the draft amendment.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, he said, “There is no question of numbers” for the passage of the 27th Amendment and that Rehman would review and understand the clauses. “Maulana Sahib is very important for the survival and security of Pakistan,” he said, calling the JUI-F chief a “strong politician” playing a major role in the national mainstream.

Vawda said consultations on the amendment were underway among political parties, adding that he had already started working on the next phase. “As the country moves forward, amendments will continue to come,” he said.

He said necessary measures for security and administrative efficiency of Pakistan would be included in the amendment. He mentioned changes related to transfers, assignments and age-related provisions, but stressed that the 18th Amendment was not overturned. He said the government was providing 2 trillion rupees to the provinces and consensual adjustments would not be detrimental.

Referring to Article 243, Vawda argued that it does not only concern armed conflicts on land. “This also includes the economic and cyber fronts,” he said. “If we have to strengthen the three services, we will: we will strengthen them so that the defense is secure. »

Read: 27th Amendment — What We Know So Far

He said the 27th Amendment would likely pass without difficulty. “In case of ambiguity, ‘flight on board’ is available,” he noted. He added that Rehman would make his own decision and described the meeting as part of a routine political debate.

Commenting on the party’s positions, Vawda said the Pakistan People’s Party was the guarantor of the system and would not allow a rollback. He suggested that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) should be taken into confidence, but said it would be up to the PTI to choose whether to join the consultations or not.

He also spoke about political alliances, saying the 27th Amendment “has taken off” and described Asif Ali Zardari as “a major political player” with strong political momentum alongside Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. He hailed Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi for “rising up from the grassroots”, and said the PTI should engage in “positive politics” if it wants to be part of the amendment process.