Ishaq Dar: Strengthening civil-military ties essential amid current state of affairs

Given the current state of affairs in the nation, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has underlined the necessity of bolstering the partnership between civil and military leadership for the sake of national stability.

“The current state of the country demands improved civil-military relations,” Dar said in a Monday interview. Referencing the 2006 Charter of Democracy, he stated that the agenda for constitutional reform is not new when discussing the divisive constitutional amendments that have prompted controversy among political figures. He noted that the charter had provisions for judicial reform.

Dar stated that at that time, Maulana Fazlur Rehman of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl and Imran Khan, the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), had also ratified the Charter of Democracy.

The deputy PM mentioned that the government has halted consultations in accordance with Fazl’s request regarding the administration’s attempts to involve seasonal politicians in the proposed constitutional package.

Regarding Irfan Siddiqui’s declaration of a “final date” for the constitutional amendments, he expressed doubt.

In the midst of rumors that Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, who is scheduled to retire in October, would receive a longer term, Dar pointed out that the government is pushing for the constitutional package in response to PTI’s demand last month for early notice of the selection of the next chief judge.

The government has delayed this endeavor indefinitely and failed to introduce the judiciary-related revisions in parliament, despite promises that they had garnered sufficient support for the measure. These amendments may involve the creation of a separate constitutional court.

Leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the PPP have held multiple meetings with Maulana Fazl as part of the ruling coalition’s intensive efforts to win his support; however, these efforts have not been successful.

There are presently nine votes in the Senate and thirteen votes in the National Assembly that the administration needs to pass the constitutional modifications.

Regarding the matter of interacting with PTI, Dar stated that discussions might have been feasible if the organization hadn’t participated in the May 9 riots.

He also mentioned that the ruling on Article 63(A) ought to be changed if it turns out to be incorrect.

Dar went on to say that Nawaz Sharif, the party president, must provide his consent before any decisions are made within the PML-N, adding, “Even PM Shehbaz Sharif adheres to Nawaz’s directives.”