-- Consensus reached on amending Constitution, Army Act
-- PM says there's no justification for further discussion on draft legislation
The leadership unanimously resolved that the entire nation and its leadership stand firmly behind their armed forces engaged in fighting the war against the evil forces of terrorism and extremism. The APC leaders reiterated their commitment to degrading, dismantling and destroying all forms of terrorism and terrorist networks. It was unanimously resolved that the 20 points enunciated in the APC resolution of December 24, 2014 shall be acted upon expeditiously.
Later, Minister for Information Pervez Rasheed said that amendments to the Constitution and the Army Act were needed and a bill to amend the Constitution would be presented in the National Assembly today (Saturday) and in the Senate on Tuesday for approval. The minister said the trial of terrorists involved in the killing of innocent children and women is not possible in ordinary courts. He also stated that Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman's reservations would be addressed.
Talking to media persons after the meeting, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Vice-Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that legal and constitutional experts were of the opinion that amendments to the Constitution would make it easier for them to defend the military courts in case superior judiciary was moved against them. He made it clear that PTI had decided to go with the national consensus but added that his party would not go to the National Assembly until a Judicial Commission was formed to probe the vote rigging allegations. He said that a deadlock on formation of judicial commission was still persisting.
Mushaid Hussain of Pakistan Muslim League-Q said political parties had agreed to amend the Constitution to protect the amendments in the Army Act while Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Parliamentary leader Farooq Sattar stated that his party also supported amendments to the Constitution.
Earlier, in his opening remarks, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif urged the political leadership to finalize the draft of the constitutional amendment for setting up special courts for trial of terrorists. He stated that there was no justification for further discussion on the draft legislation prepared by government after a great deal of consultative process during the last 15 days and it wanted its approval from the Parliament immediately.
"We have to agree on this document," he said and expressed the hope that all the participants of the meeting would endorse the draft legislation. Nawaz Sharif said the nation now wanted to see that the National Action Plan was translated into action so that the country could be purged of the scourge of terrorism once for all.
Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Raheel Sharif, Director General (DG) ISI and DG ISPR, Asif Ali Zardari (PPP), Syed khursheed ahmed (PPP), Makhdoom Amin Faheem (PPP), Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan (PPP), Mian Raza Rabbani, Rehman Malik (PPP), Farhatullah Babar (PPP), Sherry Rehman (PPP), Farooq H.Naik (PPP), Sardar Mehtab Abbasi (Gov KP), Imran Khan (PTI), Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi (PTI), Shafqat Mehmood (PTI), Naeem ul Haq (PTI), Shireen Mazari (PTI), Fazlur Rehman (JUI-F), Muzaffar Hussain Shah (PML-F), Mehmood Khan Achakzai (PKMAP), Sirajul Haq (JI), Afrasiab Khattak (ANP),Ghulam Ahmed Bilour (ANP), Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain (PML-Q), Mushahid Hussain (PML-Q), Farooq Sattar (MQM), Babar Khan Ghouri (MQM), Khalid Maqbool (MQM), Faroogh Naseem (MQM), Hasil Khan Bizenjo (NP), Aftab Sherpao (QWP), Abbas Khan Afridi (FATA Senator) , Kalsoom Perveen (BNP), Sajid Mir (Senator), Ghazi Gulab Jamal (MNA) from FATA attended the meeting besides four chief ministers and Raja Zafrul Haq along with ministers including that of Defence, Finance, Interior, Information, Planning, SAFRON, Attorney General, Barrister Zafarullah, Khawaja Zaheer.