On Tuesday night, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chief of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), announced that his party and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) have reached a consensus on the 26th constitutional amendment draft. This proposed amendment includes the establishment of a federal constitutional court and sets a three-year term for the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP).
Addressing a press conference in Karachi following a meeting with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto, Maulana Fazl shared that both parties had agreed on the draft after extensive deliberations. “We have spent significant time on this, and I can now confirm that a consensus has been achieved,” he remarked.
The JUI-F leader further stated that he would meet with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif to seek his support on the amendment draft. He also plans to engage with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership in the coming days to build wider support.
“Our goal is to create a consensus that will lead to unanimous support for this constitutional amendment,” Fazl explained. He highlighted that these discussions with PPP have been serious, crediting Bilawal Bhutto for playing a significant role in bringing the two parties together on this matter.
The proposed amendment, described by some as “contentious,” is seen as a significant move in Pakistan’s political landscape, with the establishment of a federal constitutional court aiming to streamline judicial processes and ensure checks and balances within the judiciary. Setting a term limit for the Chief Justice of Pakistan also signals an intent to introduce reform at the highest levels of the judicial system.
This initiative marks a key milestone for the JUI-F and PPP as they prepare to rally further support from other major political entities in the country.
