ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman Calls for Government Flexibility on Constitutional Amendments
In a press conference held in Islamabad on Friday, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman urged the government to consider his party’s suggestions for constitutional amendments in the pursuit of a broader consensus.
“We can achieve consensus if the government is willing to show some flexibility,” Rehman stated, emphasizing the importance of collaborative dialogue. He noted that JUI-F has begun reviewing the draft proposed by the government but expressed his disapproval of an earlier draft, which he referred to as the “black bag” proposal. “The people have supported my stance on this matter,” he added.
Rehman indicated that JUI-F, along with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), plans to share its draft with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to facilitate discussions aimed at reaching an agreement. He also voiced concerns regarding the judiciary, asserting that it should remain unified on matters such as the retirement of individual judges. “It took nine months to deliberate on the 18th Amendment, so we want to take our time to thoroughly examine this new draft,” he said.
Earlier in the day, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari emphasized the necessity for complete consensus among all political parties on the proposed constitutional amendment. Speaking during a session of Parliament’s special committee, he noted that efforts have been ongoing for a month to achieve this unity. Bilawal revealed that the PPP has submitted its own draft focused on establishing a constitutional court and outlining a mechanism for appointing judges.
