Fazal to meet Zardari, Bilawal to discuss 27th Constitutional Amendment

JUI-F senators persuade party chief to support the Amendment

ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazal (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazal Rehman will meet President Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to discuss the country’s political situation and the 27th Constitutional Amendment, a statement by JUI-F said.

Maulana Fazal Rehman will be accompanied by Maulana Rashid Soomro, Mufti Abrar Ahmed and others.

Earlier today, after getting approval from the federal cabinet, the bill for the 27th Constitutional Amendment was tabled before the Senate and subsequently referred to the standing committees on law and justice.

However, during the session of the standing committees, two JUI-F members, Aliya Kamran and Senator Kamran Murtaza, boycotted the meeting and said the proposed draft included amendments that were discarded in the 26th Amendment bill.

Yesterday, Maulana Fazal Rehman said that his party would oppose any proposed amendment that seeks to reduce the powers granted to the provinces under the 18th Amendment.

“The provinces have a constitutional right to an increased NFC (National Finance Commission) award, not a reduced one,” he had stated, warning that if provincial rights were stripped, the JUI-F would “strongly oppose it.”

Meanwhile, Four senators belonging to the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) are reportedly making efforts to persuade party chief Maulana Fazal Rehman to support the 27th Constitutional Amendment.

According to sources, the senators informed Maulana Fazal Rehman that they were under significant pressure from the government to back the amendment.

The senators advised the JUI-F chief to accept the proposed constitutional changes, while maintaining the party’s stance on not reversing the 18th Amendment, similar to the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) position.

Sources added that the senators recommended supporting amendments related to Article 243 (military appointments), the formation of a constitutional court, the transfer of judges, and the local government system.

Maulana Fazal Rehman, however, told the senators that he would make a final decision after reviewing the political environment, the sources said. Monitoring Desk