NO one would dispute the fact when Shehbaz Sharif says the President, the Prime Minister and the Army Chief were on the same page for the sake of progress and economic stability of the country. In an interview, he expressed the confidence that the latest amendments made to the Constitution will ensure political stability, which is crucial for the economic stability of the country.
There is no doubt that harmonious working of the top offices is crucial for stability which is pre-requisite for implementation of a developmental agenda. The PML(N) and the PPP have divergent views on many issues but it is for the cause of progress and prosperity that they have joined hands in managing affairs of the country both at the Centre and in the provinces. The two parties are proceeding ahead with remarkable understanding with a view to addressing the chronic problems of the country. And the Pakistan Army has made it clear on many occasions that it would continue to support all moves and policies aimed at improving the economic health of the country. It is encouraging that with the passage of time, almost all political parties have started realizing that they will have to contribute their share in ensuring political and economic stability. This became evident during passage of the 26th Amendment in the Constitution, which was supported by all parties except PTI, which too opposed it on political considerations and had no worthwhile objection to the latest changes aimed at streamlining things in the judicial system.
It is because of this collaborative attitude that the serious and intensely contested issue of amendment in the Constitution has been sorted out amicably and today the system is proceeding ahead smoothly. Parliamentarians believed they had legitimate grievances against the superior judiciary, which encroached upon its mandate and jurisdiction time and again, forcing them to take measures to ensure supremacy of their institution, which is the core concept of the 1973 Constitution. Analysts speak highly of the role played by PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and leader of JUI(F) Maulana Fazlur Rehman in taking the process of negotiations on the 26th Amendment to fruition. Bilawal was in the lead role in efforts to highlight the need for judicial reforms under the spirit of the Charter of Democracy (CoD) signed by Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif. He is also credited for the hard work he did in persuading the JUI(F) leadership to vote for the amendment. This is a major achievement as Maulana Fazlur Rehman is on record having said in categorical terms that his party will not support the move. Maulana was more inclined to back the stance of the PTI but it was because of behind-the-scenes efforts made by the leadership of the PPP and PML(N) that the Maulana was neutralized. And Maulana Fazlur Rehman himself earned a lot of goodwill among people of Pakistan for his pragmatic stance on issues relating to the amendment, which forced the Government to abandon its original draft envisaging establishment of a Federal Constitutional Court (FCC). His alignment with the Government on the issue of the 26th Amendment gave credibility and legitimacy to the latest changes in the Constitution. The religious community, to which the Maulana belong, is all praise for him for securing a clear deadline for elimination of Riba in the country. He played his cards well while negotiating with the Government on the 26th Amendment and succeeded in getting a Constitutional guarantee for a Riba-free economy from January 2028. The development has sent waves of jubilation among religious circles with Wafaqul Madaris urging all seminaries to offer thanks-giving prayers on inclusion of Islamic clauses in the 26th Amendment. The passage of the amendment has also proved once again that the political leadership has the potential to deliver on complex issues.
