Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Friday continued his criticism of proposed constitutional amendments, alleging their primary aim is to protect the ruling coalition.
“This government is unlikely to complete its tenure,” he claimed during a press conference in Multan, and urged all institutions to work within their constitutional boundaries to ensure the balance of power was not disturbed. Maintaining that the government had delayed in disclosing details of the proposed amendments, he said his party had refused to hold any negotiations on the matter until it was provided the initial draft document.
Despite this, he claimed, different copies of the proposed draft were provided to separate parties, as the one given to the JUIF did not match the one available with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). He said both the JUIF and the PPP were presently preparing their separate drafts prior to further negotiations.
To further questions, Fazl said his party had urged the government to frame its proposed amendments with an intent to introduce judicial reforms rather than facilitating any individual. He maintained the JUIF had given the government a clear message that it would not cooperate with the government on the current draft in Parliament.
To another question, Fazl said that while the JUIF and PTI were in contact over the proposed constitutional package, the two parties had no formal alliance. However, he added, it would best for both as well as the country for them to forget the past and start a new chapter in their ties.
He vowed that the JUIF would utilize its eight lawmakers in the National Assembly and five in the Senate to ensure no one passed “wrong” legislation or tarnished the Constitution, judiciary or any other institution.
Earlier this week, the government claimed to have secured the numbers to pass a constitutional amendment package aimed at “reforming” the judiciary. However, its attempt was stymied by the JUIF’s refusal to support, preventing it from displaying the two-thirds majority required for any constitutional amendment.