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Published : 26 Jun 2025, 12:05 AM
Despite a full day of discussions, political parties have failed to reach a consensus on proposed changes to the fundamental principles of the Constitution or restructuring of the National Constitutional Council (NCC).
Held at the Foreign Service Academy, the dialogue marked the sixth day of the National Consensus Commission’s second round of discussions, covering three key issues: constitutional principles, appointments to top institutions, and term limits for the prime minister.
Despite lengthy deliberations, parties remained divided.
Commission Vice-Chairman Ali Riaz said more discussions may be needed to reach an agreement.
REVISED PROPOSALS
The Constitution currently enshrines nationalism, socialism, democracy, and secularism.
The commission initially proposed replacing these with equality, human dignity, social justice, pluralism, and democracy.
Facing opposition, a revised draft now recommends equality, human dignity, social justice, democracy, and freedom of religion and harmony.
The earlier plan to form a nine-member National Constitutional Council (NCC) has also been revised. The updated proposal introduces a renamed body -- the “Appointments Committee for Constitutional and Statutory Bodies” -- with key structural changes: the president and chief justice would no longer be members.
The committee would be chaired by the speaker of the lower house and would exclude appointments to military or legal offices.
The prime minister’s term limit also remains unresolved. While most parties now back a 10-year cap, debate continues over whether this refers to two full terms or any 10-year tenure.
Riaz said the revised name and structure of the appointments committee received mixed reactions -- welcomed by some parties, rejected by others.
On constitutional principles, no unified stance emerged. However, a majority supported including values such as equality, human dignity, democracy, social justice, religious freedom, and neutrality.
A more detailed proposal is expected from the commission next week.
REACTION OF PARTIES
The BNP strongly opposed both the proposed principles and the appointments committee, warning against executive interference. They reiterated their stance against a 10-year cap on premiership unless the appointment process is fully restructured.
The Jamaat-e-Islami supported adding “absolute trust and faith in Allah” alongside the new principles while gaining agreement from several parties.
The National Citizen Party (NCP) advocated scrapping the original principles entirely, branding them “partisan”.
It supported the new appointments committee, provided it ensures neutrality.
The party expressed frustration over the lack of consensus and warned that failure to deliver reforms could undermine the goals of past political uprisings.
Left-leaning parties like Gono Forum and CPB remain firmly opposed to changing the Constitution’s core principles.
They support adding values, but not replacing the foundational four.
