Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Omar Ayub on Thursday made serious allegations against the government, claiming that PTI senators were being offered bribes of one billion rupees to support the proposed constitutional amendment. Speaking to journalists before attending Parliament’s Special Committee session, Ayub said the government lacked the required number of votes for passing the amendment and was resorting to coercion and bribery.
He criticized the government's tactics, stating that homes of PTI leaders and workers, including his own, were being raided. He also alleged that the wife of PTI leader Zain Qureshi had been abducted near the residence of the interior minister, and PTI’s Muqdad Ali Khan was missing.
Expressing PTI’s stance on the constitutional amendment, Ayub said his party opposes the move and does not believe the special committee is mandated to amend the constitution. Barrister Gohar, another PTI leader, confirmed that the party would present its own draft after consulting party founder Imran Khan.
Meanwhile, Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader Khursheed Shah criticized PTI for failing to present a draft of the amendment, despite repeated requests. Shah stressed that PTI lacks the mandate to oppose the amendment without offering viable alternatives.
In a related development, a major breakthrough occurred regarding the 26th Constitutional Amendment. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and PPP have backed away from their earlier stance proposing the establishment of constitutional courts. Instead, a consensus has been reached on forming a constitutional bench, with further consultations planned between government coalition parties, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), and PTI.
Sources indicate that JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman will consult PTI leadership on the joint draft as part of efforts to achieve consensus on judicial reforms and the broader constitutional amendment package.