Islamabad: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) chief Maulana Fazal ur Rehman said on Friday that we wiould not accept 27th Amendment If Constitution, Democracy, Politics or Country Is Undermined. He also asserted that his party will not support any attempt by the government to reintroduce provisions previously withdrawn under the 26th Constitutional Amendment into the proposed 27th Amendment, calling such a move “an insult to Parliament and the Constitution.”
Debate over 27th Amendment gains pace
Speaking to reporters about ongoing discussions surrounding the 27th Amendment, Fazlur Rehman said opposition parties are still waiting for the government to present a draft of the proposal. “Right now, there is only debate. We have sat together and reflected on it, but no draft has been shared by the government so far,” he said. “Without a concrete text, we cannot comment on details.”
He added that his party has reached some “principled conclusions,” but discussions on specifics would only begin once the government officially brings the amendment forward.
Concern over revival of withdrawn clauses
Fazlur Rehman recalled that during the 26th Amendment, the government had withdrawn 35 proposed clauses, reducing the number to 10,000 words. “If any of those clauses that were earlier withdrawn are now brought back in the 27th Amendment, we will consider it an affront to Parliament and to the Constitution itself,” he said.
He warned the government against attempting to manipulate numbers to secure a two-thirds majority for the amendment. “It seems the government is trying to stretch things to manufacture a majority. Parliament is not a rubber stamp that can be used whenever you wish to push something through,” he remarked.
Opposition seeks clarity from government
The JUI-F leader urged the government to adopt transparency and present the amendment’s contents for public and parliamentary scrutiny. “Our stance is clear: any provision that was previously abandoned in the 26th Amendment cannot and should not be reintroduced in the 27th. Such an act will not be acceptable to us,” he said.
Fazlur Rehman’s remarks come as political circles continue to speculate about the scope of the 27th Amendment, with several parties demanding open debate before any move to alter constitutional provisions.
