<\/p>\n
PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui announced on Thursday that major parties had reached a consensus on \u201c90 per cent\u201d of the points in the much-touted constitutional package, adding that it would be presented in the Senate tomorrow.<\/p>\n
The much-talked-about Consti\u00adtutional Package is legislation proposing a set of constitutional amendments, including the extension of the top judge\u2019s term.<\/p>\n
Three separate drafts of the constitutional package were being prepared \u2014 one by the government, the second by the PPP, and the third by the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F). A committee, led by PPP\u2019s Khursheed Shah, has the representation of all parties, including the PTI. It was formed by the National Assembly speaker for reconciliation among lawmakers, particularly between the PTI and the government, after a raid by plainclothesmen to round up the PTI men from the Parliament House.<\/p>\n
In a meeting at the residence of the Sharif family in Lahore, the ruling parties on Wednesday virtually succeeded in winning over Maulana Fazlur Rehman of the JUI-F for their reform package.<\/p>\n
However, the parties still require cooperation from the PTI to achieve complete consensus on the constitutional amendments, which have become a bone of contention in national politics of late.<\/p>\n
The meeting, attended by the heads of all three parties \u2014 the PML-N, PPP, and JUI-F \u2014 discussed the amendments threadbare and hoped to address the sticking points, besides giving the final touches to the tweaks.<\/p>\n
After midnight, they held a press conference to brief the media about the outcome of the meeting. Fazl said agreement on some points had been achieved and the trio was \u201cnear consensus\u201d on some issues. He appea\u00adred hopeful, saying they were heading towards consensus.<\/p>\n
Senator Siddiqui told reporters today that most of the amendments had been agreed upon after attending a meeting of the parliamentary committee deliberating on the package.<\/p>\n
\u201cGod willing, we have full consensus very soon,\u201d Siddiqui said. \u201cWe have reached a consensus on 80-90pc of the larger matters and we are aiming to reach an agreement on smaller issues today.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe amendments will be presented in the Senate tomorrow,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n