ISLAMABAD: PPP stalwart and former Senate chairman Raza Rabbani on Monday said that there was “no need” for a 28th Constitutional Amendment, saying that the Constitution could not “bear the burden” if it were to happen.

In a statement, he said, “The ruling elite should realise that the Constitution, 1973, cannot bear the burden of another amendment. There is no need for the 28th Constitutional Amendment.”

He said that the 26th and 27th Constitutional Amendments had already “defaced” a number of the original provisions of the Constitution, particularly those relating to the judiciary.

The former took away the Supreme Court’s suo motu power, while the latter made significant changes to the judicial system and the military’s chain of command.

Rabbani said the “transfer of a judge without his or her consent impinged on the independence of the judiciary”.

“The federal government should be looking at the backlash of these two amendments and, in consultation with the stakeholders, taking remedial measures,” he said.

He further said that new provinces and provincial autonomy were “no-go areas”, warning that any attempt to “fiddle with the existing arrangements to their detriment” would have very serious consequences for the federation.

The former Senate chairman said the federal government should stop violating Article 160 of the Constitution and focus on announcing a new National Finance Commission (NFC) Award before the budget.

He noted that the last NFC Award was announced in 2010.

Rabbani said that instead of blaming provincial autonomy for a lack of coordination, the federal government should stop violating Article 154 of the Constitution and convene meetings of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) once every three months.

He added that it had been over a year since the CCI last met and stressed that the solution lay in adhering to and implementing the Constitution of 1973.

The development comes as rumours abound about another constitutional amendment. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari last week said that the government had not contacted him or his father, President Asif Ali Zardari, regarding a constitutional amendment.

“The PPP’s role in the 26th and 27th constitutional amendments is evident to everyone. We did not allow the rights of the provinces to be reduced; instead, we expanded them. Through our amendments, Balochistan’s representation in the Senate increased,” he added.

Subsequently, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said he saw “no indications” of the 28th Constitutional Amendment. He noted that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement had long been demanding constitutional amendments aimed at strengthening local government systems.

Last November, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said that a 28th Constitutional Amendment, dealing with “public issues”, could be introduced if there is political consensus.

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said on Thursday that ties between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates were “absolutely fine” and rubbished speculation over a rift in ties.

He made the statement during a session of the National Assembly while responding to the concerns of the parliamentarians over the alleged deportation of Pakistanis from the Middle Eastern country.

Chaudhry warned against “building false narratives against friendly countries”, while dismissing claims that UAE deportations were based on sectarian grounds.

“The government has categorically denied these rumours,” he stressed.

Addressing the floor, the minister highlighted that the highest amount of remittances was received from overseas Pakistanis residing in Saudi Arabia, followed by the UAE.

“Currently, 1.7 million Pakistanis reside in the UAE ‘legally’,” he said, adding that these people contributed to the uplift of both the host country and Pakistan.

“We should not draw premature conclusions regarding countries as it can negatively impact our future ties.”

KARACHI: Karachi Additional Inspector General (AIG) of Police Azad Khan said on Friday that foreign nationals were also involved in the network being investigated in the “Pinky case”, adding that more than 20 women were linked to the operation.

Speaking at a press conference at Karachi’s Central Police Office alongside DIG Crime and Investigation Amir Farooqi, DIG West Irfan Baloch, DIG Special Branch Shiraz Nazir and DIG Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Azfar Mahesar, the AIG said investigators had uncovered wider links within the network, including the involvement of foreign nationals.

On Tuesday, Karachi police arrested a woman accused of operating one of the city’s most organised narcotics supply networks. The suspect, identified as Anmol alias Pinky, was arrested during a joint operation conducted by city police and a civil agency at an apartment in the Garden area.

“During the arrest of the suspect, 1.5 kilograms of narcotics, seven kilograms of chemicals and a pistol were recovered,” Khan said. He added that the accused was produced before a court on the same day, during which “possible procedural violations took place”, leading to the suspension of three police officers.

Also Read: ‘Pinky’ case deepens as physical remand secured

He further stated that investigation teams had been formed and that there were 20 cases linked to the suspect in Sindh, including 17 old cases and three new ones. “One case is with the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), while six of the old cases have already been disposed of,” he said, adding that in the ANF case, the suspect had previously been absconding.

The AIG said investigators had received a “500-page statement spanning one and a half years” and identified transactions worth more than Rs300 million.

He added that Karachi police were in contact with the Punjab Police and the ANF, saying that nine riders had been identified — eight from Punjab and one from Karachi. “Four names have also been sent for placement on the Exit Control List over their alleged involvement in the case,” he said.

On Wednesday, Karachi police secured a three-day physical remand of the suspect, further intensifying what authorities described as a rapidly expanding narcotics investigation with far-reaching links.

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Friday that Pakistan had successfully repatriated 11 Pakistani nationals alongside 20 Iranian nationals who were aboard a vessel seized by the United States in the high seas.

“I am pleased to share that we have been successful in repatriating 11 Pakistani nationals, alongside 20 nationals from our brotherly country, Iran, through Singapore, who were aboard vessels seized in the high seas by the United States,” Dar said in a post on X.

He said all the individuals were in good health and high spirits, adding that the welfare and well-being of Pakistanis abroad, particularly those in distress, remained the government’s highest priority.

The foreign minister said all the individuals, including the Pakistanis and Iranians aboard, had safely reached Singapore.

“All individuals have reached Bangkok from Singapore and already boarded the flight scheduled to reach Islamabad later tonight,” he said.

Dar added that after arriving in Islamabad, the Iranian nationals would be facilitated in returning to their homeland.

ISLAMABAD: The federal government’s reported plans for a 28th constitutional amendment appeared to run into early political resistance on Thursday after the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) said it had not been consulted on any proposed constitutional changes, signalling fresh strains within the ruling coalition over key legislative matters and the upcoming federal budget.

Speaking to journalists at the National Assembly after chairing a meeting of the PPP parliamentary party, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that although he and President Asif Ali Zardari remained in contact with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the government had yet to formally engage the PPP on any new legislative plans.

He also underscored the party’s central role in the coalition’s parliamentary strength, warning that constitutional amendments and passage of the budget would not be possible without PPP support.

“The government has not contacted the PPP regarding any new constitutional amendment,” Bilawal said, adding that the party had not been taken into confidence over the matter.

Bilawal underscored that the PPP remained indispensable to the coalition’s parliamentary strength, asserting that major legislation could not pass without the party’s support.

“PPP has not been consulted on the 28th amendment. The public is being crushed by inflation and the upcoming budget will bring further difficulties. Without the PPP’s support, constitutional amendments and passage of the budget are impossible. The PPP will not support any amendment without my approval,” Bilawal added.

His remarks come at a time when any constitutional amendment would require a two-thirds majority in Parliament, making the backing of coalition partners critical for the government’s legislative agenda.

Against this backdrop, the PPP chairman’s statement has added uncertainty to speculation surrounding the proposed 28th amendment and highlighted the importance of internal coalition consensus before moving ahead with sensitive constitutional changes.

Although details of the proposed 28th amendment have not yet been formally shared, discussions surrounding the reported proposal have largely been viewed through the lens of centre-province relations and fiscal distribution issues.

The PPP has historically opposed any move perceived to undermine provincial autonomy or reduce the share or constitutional protections available to smaller provinces under the post-18th amendment framework.

Referring to the 26th and 27th constitutional tweaks, Bilawal said the PPP had played a central role in previous constitutional reforms while ensuring that provincial rights were protected.

“We did not allow the rights of the provinces to be reduced, instead, we expanded them,” he said, citing increased representation for Balochistan in the Senate.

The PPP chairman also warned that the country was facing worsening economic pressure amid rising inflation, saying the upcoming federal budget was likely to bring further difficulties for the public. He said the PPP had consistently pushed the government to adopt relief-oriented measures and raised concerns related to inflation at both the federal and provincial levels.

In a move reflecting the party’s growing focus on budget negotiations, Bilawal announced the formation of a four-member PPP committee to hold talks with the government on the upcoming federal budget proposals.

The committee comprises former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, Sherry Rehman and Naveed Qamar, and is expected to present the party’s recommendations aimed at easing economic pressure on the public.

Bilawal also reiterated the PPP’s longstanding position on accountability reforms, stating that the party had historically supported the abolition of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

However, he said the PPP had backed recent amendments to the NAB law due to political and legislative compulsions, while warning that the party could revisit its position if commitments made by the government were not fulfilled.