Fazl questions frequent amendments to Constitution

PESHAWAR: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman on Sunday expressed concern over the omission of Section-8 from the 26th Amendment on basic human rights and said that frequent amendments to the Constitution were unacceptable and the government should refrain from it.

He was talking to the media after visiting the Bilour House here on Sunday to condole the death of Ilyas Ahmad Bilour, a prominent leader of the Awami National Party and a businessman.

Fazl told media persons that the sole purpose of his visit to the provincial metropolis was to share the grief with the Bilour family and its elder Haji Ghulam Ahmad Bilour. The JUIF chief paid glowing tribute to the late Ilyas Ahmad Bilour for his services in the field of politics and business.

Ilyas Bilour breathed his last after a protracted illness a day earlier and was laid to rest on Sunday.

Maulana Fazlur Rahman was also critical of the politics of agitation by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government. He said the provincial government should ensure peace in the province and work for the well-being of masses. Having confrontation with other provinces, and staging demonstrations was not the business of elected governments. For this purpose, the party platform should be utilised. He said that every political force had a difference of opinion with rival parties or the government. “But such differences should be resolved politically and through deliberations,” he added.

The JUIF chief referred to the party’s position on the 26th Amendment, saying that they had strong differences over the draft. “But we worked on it, analysed the draft clause by clause and informed the government of our reservations,” he said. He added the JUIF forced the government to address all their reservations and refine the draft as per their demands. However, after the promulgation of the constitutional amendment, the way the government has been introducing bills and passing them was ridiculous.

Fazl criticised the omission of Section-8 from the amendment and said the step would make every citizen of the country suspicious.

The JUIF chief lamented that the National Accountability Bureau had been authorised to apprehend anyone on the charge of corruption and keep him or her under custody. He said now it was the duty of accused to prove him/herself innocent. The same has been done by omitting the clause pertaining to human rights. “This step authorizes the security agencies to pick up anyone and keep him/her under detention for 90 days based on mere suspicion. This makes every citizen a suspect,” he said.

“How can we complain of indifferent treatment to Pakistan’s passport holders abroad when our own authorities consider all of the countrymen suspects,” he questioned.