Maulana Fazal-ur-Rahman Calls for Caution on Constitutional Amendments: Deadlock Persists.
Islamabad (News Agencies) — Meetings of the federal cabinet, National Assembly, and Senate regarding the proposed constitutional amendments have been postponed until further notice. Yesterday, delegations from the government and opposition continued discussions with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) leader Maulana Fazal ur Rehman, with both sides attempting to persuade him to support their positions. Defense Minister Khawaja Asif stated that Maulana Fazal-ur-Rahman is not supporting the government’s constitutional amendments, suggesting that a lack of consensus led to the postponement of the National Assembly session. The National Assembly session, which began in the evening, was adjourned after only a brief proceeding. The session, chaired by Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, included a motion to suspend question time and notices of attention, which was approved by the house. Consequently, the session was adjourned until 12:30 PM today. Prior to this, sources in the Speaker’s chamber indicated that the National Assembly would not be able to address constitutional amendments, leading to the session’s postponement. The Senate session has also been postponed until 12:30 PM today. According to sources, the constitutional amendments were to be presented to the federal cabinet upon reaching a consensus, but the cabinet meeting has also been postponed until today.
Earlier, a special parliamentary committee meeting chaired by Khurshid Shah saw conditional support from opposition and government parties for a constitutional court. Sources indicate that PTI, JUI, and the ruling coalition parties are conditionally agreeable to the constitutional court. During the meeting, Maulana Fazal-ur-Rahman stated that he could not support the government on the issue of extending the term of office and suggested further consultation on the constitutional amendment bill, urging against hasty decisions. PTI also adopted the stance that legislation should not be rushed. Maulana Fazal-ur-Rahman and several other lawmakers proposed postponing the vote on the constitutional amendment until Monday. The Attorney General briefed the special committee on the proposed constitutional amendments. Sources reveal that PTI presented its constitutional amendment to the special committee, suggesting that consensus might be achieved if the government accepts their amendment. PPP leader Khurshid Shah stated that he would propose a constitutional amendment that all parties could agree on and would present Maulana Fazal-ur-Rahman’s proposals to the government. The special committee’s meeting on rules and procedures ended inconclusively, with a deadlock between the government and opposition over the constitutional amendments. The government failed to convince the opposition during the meeting, presenting key points of the proposed amendment but not the draft itself. The opposition claimed that it was premature to make any statements until the draft was presented. Khurshid Shah indicated that consultation is ongoing and that the draft cannot be shared until it is approved by the cabinet. Members of the special committee met Speaker Ayaz Sadiq in his chamber to discuss strategies for approving the constitutional amendment and improving the environment during the National Assembly session. On Sunday, a government delegation, including Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, and Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, met with JUI leader Maulana Fazal-ur-Rahman to discuss the proposed constitutional amendments. During the consultation, Maulana Fazal ur Rehman provided his suggestions to the government, indicating that support might be possible if his recommendations are included. In a parliamentary party meeting chaired by Maulana Fazal-ur-Rahman, Senator Kamran Murtaza provided a briefing on the constitutional amendments.
PML-N President Nawaz Sharif met with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif at the Prime Minister’s House, with Hamza Shahbaz also present. Shahbaz Sharif updated Nawaz Sharif on the proposed package of constitutional reforms and briefed him on political contacts with Maulana Fazal-ur-Rahman and other parties.
