ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, has refused to support the government’s proposal to extend judges’ tenure or increase their retirement age, leaving the government-proposed constitutional amendment package hanging in the balance.
This development has created a major hurdle for the ruling coalition, which has been scrambling to secure enough support to push the amendments aimed at making major changes to Pakistan’s judicial and parliamentary systems through parliament.
According to sources, while opposition parties, including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), along with some government allies, have given conditional backing for the formation of a constitutional court, they remain divided on the issue of judges’ extension.
The development came after a meeting of special parliamentary committee, held to discuss the package, ended without a consensus, despite several rounds of consultations.
After the meeting, the session of the National Assembly (NA), initially slated for 11am today (Sunday), finally got underway late at night after multiple delays in the wake of consultations between the government and opposition.
It was adjourned till 12:30pm, Monday (today), shortly after it commenced. Similarly, meeting of the Senate, which was slated to take place earlier in the day, was also deferred till 12:30pm, today.
Meanwhile, the federal cabinet meeting — summoned for the approval of the draft amendment — was also put off till Monday (today).
Sources said the amendment bill is likely to be tabled today.
A bustling Sunday
The federal capital bustled on a Sunday as the government made efforts to introduce a ‘constitutional package’ that reportedly gives it greater control over judicial procedures, with several meetings between the members of ruling and opposition parties continuing throughout the day.
JUI-F’s Fazl took centre stage in the cutthroat race for parliamentary support, with the ruling coalition, pushing to pass the bill, and the opposition, aiming to block it, vying for the cleric’s decisive backing in the parliament. ahead of the expected legislation.
“We haven’t received the draft amendment bill yet […] How can we vote before analysing it?” JUI-F General Secretary Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said speaking to journalists outside Fazl’s residence.
In pursuit of achieving the magic number, required to pass a constitutional amendment the government delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar visited the Fazl’s residence, where two sides held detailed discussions on constitutional and legal matters.
Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi were also present during the meeting.
Separately, Fazl also held meetings with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who was flanked by Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, and Aijaz Jakhrani.
The JUI-F chief also met PTI leaders Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, Senator Shibli Faraz, Opposition Leader Omar Ayub, and former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser.
Speaking on Fazl’s high-stakes interactions, JUI-F’s Kamran Murtaza said: “There have been some suggestions from the government which will be discussed with the party leaders.”
“All parties including the PTI should be taken into confidence on constitutional amendment,” he said, adding that the party would consider suggestions that it deems to be good.
After a slew of meetings with the ruling coalition and opposition, Maulana Fazl arrived at the Parliament House to attend the special parliamentary committee meeting.
“Stay tuned,” the veteran politician responded to a journalist’s question in the parliament corridor.
