LAHORE: Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar on Saturday said he saw “no indications” of the 28th Constitutional Amendment, but noted that whenever it is introduced, it would be discussed with coalition partners.

Speaking to journalists after a conference on minority rights, Tarar clarified that constitutional amendments are not possible without consultation with coalition partners.

He added that meetings with all stakeholders are underway, and several issues remain unresolved. Tarar elaborated that some issues need a solution, but there should be consensus on them.

“Legislation is an ongoing process,” the law minister explained.

He asserted that, in the case of the 28th Amendment, all coalition partners would first be taken into confidence.

“The constitutional changes can be introduced, [but] only if an agreement is reached,” he added. He recalled that the 18th Amendment was also introduced with a consensus amongst political parties.

To a query, Tarar revealed that the issues of population control and the creation of Hazara and Saraiki provinces are part of ongoing discussions.

He also pointed out that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement has been demanding constitutional amendments aimed at strengthening local government systems.

Tarar said that the coalition government has been in place for several years and has faced multiple challenges, which can only be resolved through consensus.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Thursday said that the government had not contacted him or his father, President Asif Ali Zardari, regarding a constitutional amendment.

“President Zardari and I remain in contact with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, but the government has not contacted the PPP regarding any constitutional amendment,” the PPP chief said at a press conference after chairing the parliamentary party meeting at the Parliament House in Islamabad.

“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.

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.

LAHORE: The Punjab chief minister’s office has refused a lawyer’s requests, made under the right to information law, for details of vehicles in incumbent provincial chief executive Maryam Nawaz’s use, her foreign visits and a luxury plane acquired by the Punjab government.

The right to information (RTI) in Pakistan is enshrined as a fundamental right under Article 19-A of the Constitution, designed to empower citizens with access to government-held information.

Lawyer Abdullah Malik had submitted two applications with the Public Information Commission (PIC) in July last year and in February this year.

In his letter in July 2025, he sought the following details:

• Expenditure under the heads of fuel, maintenance of vehicles and tours, including international visits
• Total number of vehicles and their make, model and cast
• Expenditure on helicopter or aircraft used by the CM and its total mileage of travel
• Total number of social media team members at the CM House, along with their salaries
• Whether the CM got the approval for her foreign tours from the Ministry of Finance and how many officials were with her on her Japan tour, as well as the expenses incurred on that visit

Separately, in a letter in February, the lawyer sought details about a G500 jet.

The Gulfstream 19-seater jet is estimated to be worth between $38 million and $42m, and Maryam has faced severe criticism regarding her government’s purchase of the aircraft.

The Punjab administration had initially remained tight-lipped about the acquisition of the aircraft, but later claimed that it was part of a proposed airline project.

The lawyer received replies to both his letters earlier this month. Both responses are dated April 28.

On his July request, the CM Office’s public information officer (PIO) said: “The desired information is not held by this office.”

It also cited “legitimate exception” as a reason for not sharing the information, stating: “The information sought is excepted under section 13(1)(e) of the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2013.”

Section 13(1)(e) of the Act reads: “A public information officer may refuse an application for access to information where disclosure of the information shall or is likely to cause harm to the life, health or safety of any person.”

The record of the proceedings before the PIC, available with Dawn, shows that the PIO consistently sought adjournments regarding the July request until the commission on April 13 gave a strict warning of penal consequences in case of failure to respond.

On Malik’s request for information regarding the luxury jet, the PIO responded: “It is informed that desired information is not held by this office. The same is hereby returned under the relevant provision of Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013.”

In 2021, the provision of a legitimate exception was also used as a reason to refuse a request for details of official vehicles and related records in the use of then-Punjab CM Usman Buzdar, who was from the PTI. The move had drawn sharp criticism from PML-N leaders, who were in the opposition at the time.

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday allowed an application filed by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz seeking the return of Rs70 million deposited as surety for bail in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case.

The case by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) pertains to alleged money laundering and income beyond means via “dubious” business transactions of the Chaudhry Sugar Mills, of which Maryam was a major shareholder.

At the outset of the hearing, a NAB deputy prosecutor submitted an affidavit to an LHC full bench about the withdrawal of its plea before the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) challenging directives for the closure of the Chaudhry Sugar Mills investigation against Maryam.

At this, Chief Justice Aalia Neelum, who headed the bench, accepted Maryam’s application with instructions to the registrar’s office to return the surety amount.

Justice Muhammad Jawad Zafar and Justice Abher Gul Khan were the other members of the bench.

The chief minister, through her counsel Javed Arshad, had filed the application after an accountability court in March allowed a NAB request for the closure of the investigation against her.

The accountability court had declared that Maryam may withdraw her surety bond of Rs70 million furnished against the post-arrest bail granted to her in the case.

The NAB had filed the case termination application following a February 4 directive from the LHC to place a termination report before the accountability court for the closure of the investigation as required under the law.

A NAB team had arrested Maryam in connection with the case on Aug 8, 2019 when she was present at the Kot Lakhpat jail on her weekly visit to her incarcerated father, Nawaz Sharif.

On Nov 4, 2019, the LHC released Maryam in the case on bail, subject to surrendering her passport to the court. She was also ordered to deposit a surety amount of Rs70m with the judicial registrar of the court.

In October 2022, the LHC directed officials to return the passport to Maryam after the NAB said it did not require the travel document anymore.