Senator Faisal Vawda shakes hands with Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman after a meeting at the latter’s residence in Islamabad on Wednesday. SCREEN GRAB
ISLAMABAD:
As the ruling PML-N pushes for consensus on the proposed constitutional amendments, Senator Faisal Vawda on Wednesday met JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Islamabad to brief him on the draft and invite his input before the party takes a final stand.
Fazl, whose party’s support was crucial to the passage of the 26th amendment last year, would “review and understand” the new proposals before reaching a decision, Vawda told reporters after the meeting.
He said the government was going ahead with the 27th constitutional amendment and had sought the JUI-F chief’s guidance on its clauses, adding that “the numbers are already in place” and describing Fazl as “a strong and experienced politician”.
According to the JUI-F spokesperson, the two discussed the country’s political situation and Aslam Ghauri was also present during the meeting.
Vawda sought to allay fears of sweeping constitutional reversals, stressing that the 18th Amendment was not being undone.
“It’s not a matter of numbers, it’s about Pakistan’s survival and security,” the senator told reporters, adding that he often leaves meetings with Fazl “positively” and that Fazl has always supported Pakistan.
In response to a question, the senator said that while there was a lot of fervor and buzz over the 27th Amendment, “they were already preparing for the 28th.”
He maintained that if consensus required further consultations, meetings could be called at any time.
Regarding the parliamentary arithmetic, he said, “Where numbers are needed, they will be found,” and welcomed any participation from Fazl in the process.
He described President Asif Ali Zardari as a great political player and praised the “mighty father-son combination” in national politics, referring to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
Regarding the content of the reforms, Vawda argued that changes to Article 243, which deals with command and control of the armed forces, reflect contemporary security realities beyond conventional battlefields.
“Article 243 is not just about warfare on the ground; it also includes cyber, global economic and hybrid threats,” he said.
He said the changes would include provisions on postings, transfers and tenures, aimed at strengthening the armed forces for multidimensional threats. Vawda stressed that strengthening Pakistan’s three services would improve national defence.
Vawda urged that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) be taken into confidence for the change. “If PTI is pursuing constructive politics, it should definitely be involved.”
