No constitutional amendments without PTI: JUI-F senator

As the incumbent ruling coalition attempts to secure necessary numbers to push through the prospective constitutional amendments, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has said dismissed any possibility of tweaking the Constitution without the Pakistan Tehkree-e-Insaf (PTI). 

JUI-F Senator Kamran Murtaza, while speaking on Geo News' programme "Capital Talk" on Monday, noted that the PTI couldn't be ignored and that the Constitution cannot be called a consensus-oriented one if the former ruling party was not on board.

A day earlier, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman hinted at closing in on a consensus with the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

The Senator's statement come amid strenuous efforts by the incumbent government to woo the JUI-F in its bid to secure relevant numbers in the parliament to successfully pass the constitutional package provisioning a three-year fixed tenure for the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) as well as the establishment of a constitutional court.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, the politico remarked that the government’s constitutional draft will undermine judicial freedom and the public interest, The News reported on Tuesday.

"It is our responsibility to create a balance among all the institutions. We have almost reached a consensus," said Fazl, adding that he would meet Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Tuesday (today).

His remarks came after PML-N President Nawaz Sharif and PPP's Bilawal — who has already gone public with his party's proposed draft on the said issue — mulled over the prospective constitutional amendments over the phone.

The JUI-F has also shared its draft of the Constitution (26th Amendment) Bill, 2024 which proposes the establishment of constitutional benches — as opposed to a constitutional court widely advocated by the PPP chief — in the Supreme Court and high courts and re-appointment and extension in services of services chiefs.

Expanding on his party's stance on the constitutional tweaks, Senator Murtaza said that his party has called for the formation of constitutional benches within the existing structure of the Supreme Court for a five-year period which then can be changed later on.

The JUI-F leader further claimed to be personally aware that the outgoing CJP Qazi Faez Isa, who's set to retire on October 25, has booked tickets for Istanbul and Umrah reflecting his readiness — a move which reflects that he is mentally ready to retire.

It is to be noted that the PTI and the JUI-F, as claimed by former National Assembly speaker Asaq Qasier, will meet on October 17 for further consideration of the draft.