Government’s Secret Constitutional Amendments: JUI-F leader Hafiz Hamdullah expressed confusion on Monday about the government’s covert handling of proposed constitutional amendments. The details of these amendments are being kept hidden from the cabinet, ministers, allies, and opposition alike.
“What kind of amendments are these that are concealed from everyone? The original draft is not being shared,” Hamdullah stated on a TV program.
The government’s efforts to gain JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s support for the amendments have not succeeded. Maulana Fazl has refused to back the government’s proposal to extend judges’ tenure or raise their retirement age. This refusal has left the proposed constitutional amendment package stalled.
The ruling coalition now faces a significant obstacle. The JUI-F holds eight seats in the National Assembly and five in the Senate, numbers crucial for the government to reach the required majority.
Hamdullah emphasized that legislation should be in the best interest of the country and its people. He questioned why neither the opposition nor allied parties know the exact content of the amendments. “If these constitutional changes are truly for the nation’s benefit, why is their content being hidden? Are they aiming to make the judiciary independent or exert control over it?” he asked.
Hamdullah added that his party would make a decision if the government shared the draft of the amendments with them. However, the JUI-F opposes the proposal to extend judges’ tenure.
“Why the rush? What’s pressuring you to push these amendments through secretly? Do you think we are just a herd?” he questioned.
In contrast, Senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Senator Irfan Siddiqui confirmed on Monday that the government’s attempt to present the constitutional amendments has been “postponed indefinitely”. This delay comes after the government struggled to secure the necessary numbers for the amendments following multiple meetings with JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
