JUI-F opposes judges’ extension, retirement age hike; NA, Senate sessions on constitutional amendments rescheduled for today
Abdul Hadi Mayar Islamabad
The government and its allies failed to navigate the Constitutional Amendment Bill on judicial reforms through both houses of the parliament, which had been convened for the purpose on Sunday night, as they could not muster consensus at the Special Parliamentary Committee where Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman’s took a tougher position.
The JUI chief told the committee that he was not against the bill that ensured supremacy of the parliament but the draft amendment must first be put before parliamentary leaders of all political parties, including the opposition.
While opposing extension in the tenure of the Chief Justice of Pakistan, the Maulana argued that a thorough debate be held and the bill passed with consensus.
With deadlock in the parliamentary committee on the proposed amendment, the cabinet meeting was postponed and that of the National Assembly and Senate were adjourned till tomorrow.
The opposition, including Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf, assured conditional support to the government on constitutional amendment but it demanded extensive debate ‘as it involves sensitive matters.’
The special parliamentary committee of the National Assembly on rules and business, which was hastily converted into a parliamentary committee by including five members from the Upper House, held three meetings earlier in the day, taking stock of the situation changing by the minute.
Prior to the committee meeting, extensive deliberations continued at Maulana’s residence throughout the day with both the ruling coalition and the opposition Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf trying to win over the support of the JUI-F Amir.
While the government tried its level best to convince its allies and independent parliamentarians to muster their support on the proposed constitutional amendment bill, Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf also kept on convincing Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman not to support the government’s move.
PTI leaders held three meetings with the JUI-F Amir at his residence. At one point, Maulana was already in meeting with a government delegation when the PTI leaders dashed at his residence and returned without meeting him.
From the government side, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party visited the resident of Maulana to convince him on supporting the bill.
The JUI-F has 13 members in both house of the parliament i.e. eight in the National Assembly and five in Senate.
Talking to media after Maulana’s meeting with PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar, JUI-F leader, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidary said his party chief has asked the government to put off the constitutional amendment bill ‘so that the opposition also reads it.’
Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman was also quoted as saying that he has not even received the draft amendment bill.
Another focus of the ruling coalition’s alliance was to win over the support of Balochistan National Party-Mengal, which has two members in Senate. Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif personally contacted the BNP-M chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal who wondered as to how he can give his consent when he has not even received a copy of the draft amendment bill.
Later there were reports that BNP-Mengal has agreed to support the government on the condition that the government would release 2000 missing persons in Balochistan. Government sources informed this scribe that Sardar Akhtar Mengal was requested to give time on the matter as it involved deeper consideration and consultation with other institutions.
Under the amendment package, Articles 51, 63, 175, 181, 184, 185, 186, 187 are to be amended, with the major part of the judicial reforms being the establishment of a Constitutional Court separate from the Supreme Court of Pakistan, which Chief Justice and four other judges would be appointed jointly by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan and the Parliamentary Committee on Law and Justice. Other proposed changes in the constitution include role of the Supreme Court in Presidential references, transfer of High Court judges to other provinces, and reformation of the Defection Clause. A part of the amendment also includes raising the number of Balochistan Assembly seats from 65 to 81.
As for the number game in the National Assembly and Senate, the ruling coalition has 214 seats in the lower house where it requires 10 more votes to reach the target of 224. In Senate, the PML-N, PPP and their allies have 54 seats while they require 64. So the government is short of seven votes even if Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman agrees to assure his 13 members in both houses of the parliament.
Barrister Aqeel Malik, the special advisor of Prime Minister on Law and Justice, while talking to media, said the government has also manage to muster support of seven independent members.
