ISLAMABAD: The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was thrown into a political storm in the National Assembly on Wednesday after Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stunned lawmakers by branding the 18th Constitutional Amendment a “deception,” sparking a fierce backlash from its key ally, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
Asif, speaking in the House the previous day, launched a sharp critique of the historic amendment, claiming it had shifted all powers to provincial governments.
His comments sent shockwaves through the Assembly, particularly from the government’s own key ally – the PPP.
Reacting strongly to the minister’s statement, PPP’s Naveed Qamar accused the government of misleading the masses, warning that Asif’s remarks represented nothing less than a significant shift in policy.
“You’ve experimented with this country time and again,” Qamar fired back. “Each time, you’ve divided the nation further. Now, you want to centralise provincial resources.”
He condemned any attempt to reverse the 18th Amendment, warning that such a move would threaten the integrity of the country’s federal system.
He urged the government to abandon its “experiments” and focus on resolving pressing constitutional issues instead.
The criticism continued to mount, with PPP MNA Sahar Kamran adding her voice to the opposition. She accused Asif of trying to pave the way for military rule through his comments on local governance.
Kamran’s criticism was sharp: “His dismissal of the fire brigade system was an insult,” she said, questioning whether Asif’s remarks reflected the official stance of the government.
In response, the government sought to distance itself from Asif’s comments. Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar was quick to clarify that the Defence Minister’s remarks were his personal views, not official policy.
Meanwhile, the debate continued to heat up as opposition members from the PTI engaged in a fiery exchange with the government over security operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
The government insisted on launching a military operation in certain parts of the province, including the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
However, PTI members accused the federal authorities of sidelining provincial leaders in the decision-making process.
State Minister for the Interior, Talal Chaudhry, defended the operation, stressing that it was part of the ongoing implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) and that the KP government was fully on board.
He also blamed the PTI provincial government for failing to tackle the rise in terrorism, pointing to the lack of a Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in the province.
This led to a strong rebuttal from PTI leader Asad Qaiser, who claimed that Chaudhry was simply a mouthpiece for the establishment and accused the ruling party of neglecting the NAP’s implementation.
“I don’t need a certificate of patriotism from Talal,” he retorted, emphasising that PTI remained committed to eradicating terrorism.
As the session progressed, Qaiser also pressed the government on the status of a bill he had introduced concerning the right to appeal in military courts, noting that it had stalled in committee without progress.
Meanwhile, PTI’s Ali Mohammad Khan emphasised the need for dialogue between the government and opposition to resolve political differences.
He called for constructive negotiations, particularly on issues such as the ongoing political crisis and the future of imprisoned PTI leaders, including Imran Khan.
He also reiterated his belief that political leaders should engage respectfully, even in the face of disagreement, and criticised those who undermined the role of opposition parties.
Responding to Khan, Talal Chaudhry noted that over 800 people had visited Imran Khan in jail, including a significant number of political leaders, and reassured the public that the former prime minister’s health remained stable despite ongoing concerns.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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