After categorically rejecting the proposed constitutional amendments despite the coalition government's sweet talk, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Friday said that his party would not let anyone "tarnish" the Constitution, judiciary, and the institutions.
"This government is unlikely to complete its tenure," predicted Fazl addressing a press conference in Multan, adding that the constitutional package was not aimed at introducing reforms but to support the coalition government.
He urged that institutions should work within their constitutional boundaries and the balance of power among state institutions should not be disturbed.
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 JUI-F chief said that the government was not ready to disclose the details of the proposed constitutional amendments, however, he added that his party refused to hold negotiations on the proposed judicial package until it got the draft.
He, however, expressed suspicions that the “draft was not the same” after different copies were provided to his party and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
Fazl, who led the multi-party alliance — Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) — that successfully ousted former premier Imran Khan from office in 2022, confirmed that the JUI-F and the PPP decided to prepare drafts of the constitutional amendments when the latter’s Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari came to meet him.
He claimed that the scope of human rights and fundamental rights of citizens were reduced in the proposed modifications.
The cleric said that his party urged the government to formulate amendments based on judicial reforms instead of person-specific. He added that they gave a clear message that JUI-F would not cooperate with the government on the proposed amendments in parliament.
The ruling coalition left no stone unturned to woo Fazl, with leaderships of the PML-N and the 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 PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui.
To pass the constitutional amendments, the government is short of 13 votes in the National Assembly (NA) and nine in the Senate.
To a question, Fazl clarified that the JUI-F and the PTI had been in contact on the constitutional package, however, there was no alliance between both parties. He, however, said that it would be better to start a new chapter after forgetting the bitter past.
The PTI and JUI-F, which have been arch-rivals traditionally, found common ground after the February 8 general elections as they both expressed mutual concerns over the alleged interference and manipulation during the polls.
He vowed that the JUI-F, in its full capacity in the parliament with 8 lawmakers in the National Assembly and five in the Senate, will stop the coalition government from indulging in wrong legislation and not let anyone tarnish the Constitution, judiciary or any other institution.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, speaking on Geo News programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath today, responded to Fazl’s statement and said that the JUI-F chief wants to defend his political stance.
He added that the government would continue to woo Maulana Fazl and try to address his concerns over the amendments as it is part of politics not to lose hope.
The ruling PML-N senior leader also advised the JUI-F supremo “not to doubt the [ruling parties] intentions”.
Backing Maulana Fazl's firm stance on the constitutional amendments, PTI Senator Barrister Syed Ali Zafar, speaking on the same programme, said that the JUI-F and the PTI “are on the same page”.
He said that the coalition government lacked numbers in the parliament to pass the constitutional package "even if the JUI-F joins hands with the rulers".
Commenting on Fazl's statement of forming his own set of constitutional amendments with the PPP, Zafar said that the cleric may share his draft with the PTI leadership.
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