Islamabad: The federal cabinet meeting scheduled for today (Friday) under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has been postponed.
The meeting, which was expected to discuss and potentially approve the draft of the 27th Constitutional Amendment, will now be rescheduled for a later date. The reasons behind the delay have not yet been disclosed, but cabinet members have been formally informed of the postponement.
The meeting was set to focus on crucial government matters, including proposed changes to the Constitution and the draft amendment.
The 27th Constitutional Amendment seeks to bring several changes to the Constitution, and its draft requires input from various stakeholders in the government. A new date for the cabinet meeting is anticipated to be announced soon.
Earlier on Thursday, the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) unanimously rejected the proposed changes to the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, which are part of the 27th Constitutional Amendment. The PPP emphasized that it would not support any amendments that would undermine the financial autonomy of the provinces.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, addressing a press conference following a late-night CEC meeting, confirmed that while changes to Article 243 (regarding the command of the armed forces) were agreed upon, other proposed revisions—particularly those related to the NFC Award—were firmly rejected.
The PPP leadership reiterated its commitment to preserving provincial autonomy, specifically defending Article 160(3A) of the Constitution and the existing NFC framework. They also voiced strong opposition to any modifications to the provisions of the 18th Amendment.
The ruling coalition, which currently holds a majority in the National Assembly, will need additional support in the Senate to ensure the passage of the amendment. The government’s bloc holds 61 seats in the upper house, while the opposition holds 35, requiring at least 64 votes for approval.
