President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have invited all coalition members to a dinner to discuss “legislative amendments” in Parliament on Monday. The proposed legislation includes increasing the retirement age for judges and the number of judges in the higher judiciary, with the government reportedly nearing a two-thirds majority.

Sources said that the PML-N and the PPP have “successfully bolstered” the coalition partners’ numbers game as part of their planning.

Both the President’s House and the Prime Minister’s Office have become active in anticipation of important upcoming legislation and amendments, with separate dinners hosted for members of allied parties. But PPP members attended only the dinner hosted by President Asif Ali Zardari.

The dinner at the President’s House will include Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani, Khursheed Shah, former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Kareem Kundi. Members from the ANP, IPP, and PML-Q also attended the meeting.

Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider, Anwarul Haq Kakar, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Abdul Aleem Khan, and ANP leader Senator Aimal Wali Khan were present at a consultative meeting.

At the dinner, President Zardari stressed the need for strengthening the parliamentary democracy and promoting political stability. He stated that a “political alliance is essential” to address the country’s political, economic, and security challenges.

The president also highlighted the importance of “fostering tolerance, mutual respect, and strengthening democratic institutions.”

Zardari noted that improving service delivery and implementing political, economic, and governance reforms were “crucial” for economic prosperity. He urged working “decisively beyond group interests” for the welfare of the public and expressed his opposition to confrontational politics that harm the country.

Many members of various political parties proposed different suggestions for stability and public relief. They also praised the president’s “political wisdom and vision” in fostering consensus on national issues.

PM Shehbaz’s dinner

On the other hand, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hosted a dinner for all coalition parties, with members from the PML-N, MQM-P, Balochistan Awami Party, National Party, and Zia League attending it.

The Prime Minister instructed the members of Parliament to remain in Islamabad and brought them up to speed on the current situation.

Sources also reveal that the leadership of the PPP and PML-N was in close contact with the JUI-F leadership, which is expected to support the government’s proposed amendments.

PM Shehbaz highlights ‘economic improvements’

PM Shehbaz stated that a reduction in inflation to 9.6% reflects “improvement” in the economy and expressed optimism about further decreases in the inflation rate, emphasising that leaving the inflation rate in single digits in 2018 was a “significant achievement.”

He noted that the efforts made have resulted in a decline in inflation and that “sacrifices in politics were made” to prevent the economy from going bankrupt.

The premier praised the hard work of the economic team, stating that not only has the economy stabilised, but it was also on a “path to growth.” He promised the people that after taking on the responsibilities of serving Pakistan, he would work to alleviate their concerns. He pointed out that the positive results of government economic reforms were starting to reach the public in the form of increased prosperity.

PM Shehbaz Sharif stated that measures were being taken to assist low-income families concerning electricity bills and that a process of rightsizing and downsizing to reduce expenses has already begun.

He stressed the need for political stability and continuity of policies, asserting that everyone must work together to pull Pakistan out of its economic difficulties.

The prime minister also condemned the use of offensive language at the PTI rally on Sunday, stating that such behaviour should be denounced as much as possible.

Two-thirds majority

Following a dinner, the ruling coalition claimed to have secured the necessary numbers for a joint session and the proposed Constitutional amendment.

During a Senate session, there was a verbal exchange between Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Shibli Faraz. It was claimed that the government coalition has already achieved a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, though if support from the JUI-F is secured, the government would require three additional votes.

There is an expectation that the government would obtain the necessary 64 votes in the Senate for a proposed Constitutional amendment.