Constitutional Amendment
ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) has officially withdrawn from the constitutional amendment process scheduled for today, on Saturday.
The party’s leadership has called for additional time to thoroughly review the proposed legislation, citing concerns over rushing through the amendments without sufficient consultation.
Sources familiar with the situation indicated that during a recent meeting, the final draft of the constitutional amendment was presented to JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
Rehman voiced his apprehensions about the hastiness of the process, suggesting that more deliberation is essential to understand the potential implications of the proposed changes.
In line with this, JUI-F spokesperson Aslam Ghori communicated that Maulana Fazlur Rehman has also reached out to Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, emphasizing the need for a one-day delay to facilitate a more comprehensive discussion.
Ghori further noted that JUI-F would determine its stance on the amendments after receiving a response from the leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) the following day.
He highlighted that there is no harm in taking an extra day to ensure proper consultation, underscoring the party’s commitment to involving its parliamentary members in the decision-making process. “We should not be hasty,” Ghori stated, suggesting that if the PTI delegation consults its parliamentary party, the amendment could potentially be presented the day after.
Earlier in the day, JUI-F, along with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), had reached an agreement on judicial reforms through constitutional amendments. However, JUI-F remains at odds with certain aspects of the proposed draft, indicating that further negotiations are necessary.
In a bid to strengthen their position, it has been reported that President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif plan to meet with Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Saturday night to persuade him regarding the amendments.
Sources close to the negotiations have revealed that Maulana Fazlur Rehman has proposed significant changes, including an amendment to Article 38 aimed at establishing an interest-free state by 2028. This specific amendment was not part of the draft that the parliamentary special committee had previously approved.
Furthermore, the JUI-F has requested an additional clause to Article 70-1 of the Constitution, which was also omitted from the approved draft.
The party’s insistence on these amendments underscores its commitment to advocating for an interest-free Islamic financial system, reflecting the party’s broader ideological stance. As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how these developments will shape the legislative landscape in Pakistan.
