The constitutional amendment bill has faced yet another delay as the government has been unable to win the support of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
Sources indicate that the bill will now be presented in the National Assembly in 10-12 days due to the ruling alliance’s failure to persuade Fazlur Rehman to endorse the proposed amendments, which include the creation of a constitutional court and various other reforms.
Fazlur Rehman has firmly stated that significant constitutional changes should not be rushed and has requested additional time to review the proposed reforms to the Judicial Commission.
The federal government, however, has maintained that the bill will be passed even without the backing of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members. Despite extensive discussions, Fazlur Rehman appears to have changed his stance on the bill, resulting in further delays.
Previously, JUI-F had recommended postponing the clauses related to judicial reforms in the proposed amendments.
A separate meeting between government and opposition representatives and JUI-F leaders, including Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidari, took place. Following the meeting, Fazlur Rehman emphasized that his party had not yet received the draft of the proposed amendments. Haidari also stressed the need for patience, urging the government to avoid rushing the bill to Parliament.
