Constitutional amendment: Fazl voices criticism of govt approach, says talks with PTI positive

• Fazl warns JUI-F will reject initial draft if presented again.
• Says PTI cannot be kept unaware of Constitutional amendment.
• Urges govt to raise representation in special committee.

After engaging the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership in an hour-long discussion, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has confirmed that consultations on the proposed 26th constitutional amendment are progressing, however, stressing that the government is not taking the opposition’s reconciliatory approach seriously.

Talking to the media along with PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan and other party leaders in Islamabad late on Thursday, the JUI-F chief said: "We are engaging with the government with absolute open-heartedness." 

However, at the same time he has warned that if the federal government presents the same draft as before, "we will reject it once again".

Rehman, 71, reiterated that the government’s initial draft was rejected by his party and it still remains unacceptable to him. 

"We continue to reject the initial draft even today," he said, but also noted that "some issues are still open for discussion". Maulana Fazl also mentioned his recent meeting with former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, where they reached a consensus on several matters concerning the constitutional package.

However, he underlined the importance of a unanimous amendment, urging the government to take all opposition parties on board.

He also stressed that other stakeholders and special representatives of the Pakistan Bar Council and the Supreme Court Bar should be included in the special committee overseeing the constitutional amendment process.

During the press conference, the JUI-F chief raised concerns about the alleged harassment of opposition members, saying, "On one hand, negotiations are taking place, and on the other, members are being abducted and offered large incentives."

He added that the coalition government is not taking the opposition’s reconciliatory approach seriously.

Echoing Fazl's concerns, Barrister Gohar said that "our senators and assembly members are being harassed," and warned that the PTI might be unable to move forward if the government’s attitude remains the same.

They also praised the PTI’s positive attitude during the discussions over the Constitutional amendment, adding both parties would continue the discussion today.

He added that the PTI cannot be held in the dark about the constitutional amendment.

Expressing hope for a headway, he noted, "We want to witness a change in the situation by the morning."

Fazl also called on both the PPP and the PML-N-led government to increase representation in the special committee.   

Maulana Fazl also said that his party issued notices to all its members of parliament under Article 63(A).

"Our members are bound to vote in accordance with the party’s decision," he underscored.

Similar directives were issued to the PTI's members of parliament as well, Barrister Gohar confirmed, saying: "The PTI has instructed its members to vote as per the party's decision."

The JUI-F chief warned, "If the amendment is forcibly passed, we will declare that this parliament has no right to legislate."

Top leaders fail to convince Fazl in overnight huddle

In their last-ditch effort to win the support of the JUI-F chief, top political leaders including Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar arrived at the residence of the JUI-F chief in Islamabad in Friday's wee hours.

Following an hour-long discussion, the high-powered delegation departed from Fazl's residence. Sources privy to the development told Geo News that the JUI-F chief took strong exception to the fact that on one hand the ruling coalition sought his support on the constitutional amendment, and on the other, his party's members of the parliament were being abducted.

The veteran politician pointed out that his party's lawmaker Mufti Abdul Shakoor was still unaccounted for and his family was present at his residence.

The top leaders extended assurances to the JUI-F leader to convince him to agree to the maximum number of proposals in the Constitutional amendment. However, the JUI-F leader stood his ground, insisting that the government first produce his party's lawmakers. 

Meantime, the time for the National Assembly's session has been changed from 11am to 6pm today, according to a notification from the NA secretariat. 

'Consensus on judicial reforms achieved'

Earlier today, all the political parties, including the opposition, finally reached a consensus on the formation of a constitutional bench after the PML-N and the PPP took a step back on the matter of the constitutional court, sources privy to the development claimed.

The matter, initially focused on the constitutional court, has now advanced to the formation of a constitutional bench, they told Geo News on Thursday.

After high-level discussions, four leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the PPP claimed an agreement had been reached among all the political parties on the formation of the constitutional bench, as per the insiders.

This came after another meeting of the special committee on constitutional amendments draft concluded on Thursday.

The constitutional package, among other things, aims to set up a federal constitutional court and fix the tenure of the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) for three years.

The government had attempted to present the bill to amend the Constitution last month, but its allies as well as members from the opposition benches vehemently opposed the proposal, forcing the ruling parties to begin a consultation process.

To pass the constitutional amendments, the government requires a two-thirds majority in parliament, with sources indicating a shortfall of 13 votes in the National Assembly and nine in the Senate.

Talking to the media earlier today after the meeting, Barrister Gohar said the government presented its third draft on the judicial package. In its third draft, the government had talked about a constitutional bench instead of court, he said.

“The government has not yet brought up its complete draft,” he had added.