Constitutional amendments to be tabled when Maulana Fazlur Rehman is 'satisfied'

Senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Irfan Siddiqui said that the constitutional amendments will only be tabled after Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman is "satisfied".

The senator made these comments after the JUI-F chief completely disregarded the draft of constitutional amendments, saying that it was in "no way acceptable".

"The time to table the amendments has not been decided. They may be tabled in September or October," said Siddiqui while speaking during the Geo News programme 'Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath' on Wednesday.

The PML-N leader, however, maintained that the constitutional amendments will be presented as soon as the JUI-F chief is satisfied.

Lamenting the lack of "magic number" to table the amendments, Senator Siddiqui said it was expected the numbers would be completed due to Fazl's support, however "it was our credulity".

Speaking about Fazl's rejection of the draft, Senator Siddiqui said that the constitutional amendments will not be possible without the JUI-F chief's support. 

"Maulana had no objection to the constitutional court or formula of appointment of judges," he said. 

Siddiqui also said that the JUI-F chief did not specifically point out the disagreements, adding that the constitutional amendments will not be possible without him.

"Fazl maintains that constitutional amendments should not be rushed," said the senator. He further highlighted that there are at least five drafts circulating in the media, hoping that the JUI-F chief's draft is similar to the government.

What happened?

The government pushed the proposed constitutional package amid speculation about a potential extension in the tenure of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, who is set to retire in October this year, following the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) request last month for the early issuance of a notification regarding the appointment of the next top judge.

The ruling coalition left no stone unturned to woo Fazl, with leaderships of PML-N and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) holding a flurry of meetings with the cleric, but to no avail.

Despite claims of securing the "magic number" needed to push the bill through, the government failed to table the amendments in parliament and postponed its move indefinitely — a development confirmed by Siddiqui.

The amendments allegedly include legislation to extend the tenure of CJP Isa as well as an increase in retirement age of the judges. To pass the constitutional amendments, the government is short of 13 votes in the National Assembly (NA) and nine in the Senate.

The PTI and JUI-F, which have been arch-rivals traditionally, found common ground after the February 8 general elections and expressed mutual concerns over the alleged interference and manipulation during the polls.

Former NA speaker Asad Qaiser hosted a luncheon in honour of the JUI-F head in Islamabad today, which was also attended by other PTI lawmakers including Omar Ayub, Barrister Gohar and former president Arif Alvi.

Speaking to journalists following the meeting, Fazl said they have completely rejected the constitutional amendments’ proposed draft provided by the government. “It [the draft] was shared with specific individuals, not with everyone.”