Rehman criticized the 27th Amendment process, saying the government failed to consult the opposition
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman addresses a press conference in Peshawar. Photo: JUI/ Facebook
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has criticized the 27th constitutional amendment, describing its approval as “coerced and illegitimate” and saying it did not improve the stature of those who pushed it through.
Addressing a press conference during a JUI-F Shura meeting on Tuesday, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said the assembly had also reviewed several laws recently passed by Parliament. He said the party had completely rejected the 27th Amendment and its parliamentary members had opposed it and the Shura supported their position.
The 27th Amendment, passed in the National Assembly and the Senate by a two-thirds majority, brought about 59 amendments to the Constitution. The changes include the creation of the Federal Constitutional Court, changes in the military command structure, immunity for the President of Pakistan and changes to Article 199, which relates to the transfer of judges.
He noted that during the 26th Amendment, the JUI-F kept the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) informed of every development and had even forced the government to accept PTI proposals. “This amendment”, he added, “had gone through a process of mutual consultation and was passed in Parliament by relative consensus”.
Criticizing the 27th Amendment process, Rehman said the government failed to consult the opposition, especially the JUI-F. He described the two-thirds majority used to pass the amendment as “coercive and bogus” and argued that it violated parliamentary norms and democratic principles. He added that the move had led to a rapid decline in the government’s popularity.
Read: The President signs the 27th Amendment into law
He also argued that the 26th Amendment had seen parliamentarians reluctantly approve measures the government had initially abandoned, creating complexities even the courts found difficult to interpret. He said the JUI-F had consistently supported the Constitutional Court in principle.
Rehman further accused the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of acting against the democratic spirit, claiming that despite having a two-thirds majority, it consulted smaller provinces and later supported an undemocratic process.
He criticized lifetime immunity provisions for certain officials and questioned why former President Zardari, who had spent eight years in prison, was now protected from prosecution.
Read more: JUI-F rejects 27th amendment
On military leadership, Rehman acknowledged the bravery of the heads of all three armed forces against India, but argued that the lifetime privileges granted to them under the amendment were “unsustainable in a democratic society” and risked creating a class-based system. He suggested that the armed forces should forego these benefits.
Rehman concluded by emphasizing that passing laws that go against the principles of equality undermines democratic norms. He argued that the Islamic Republic of Pakistan was founded on the Qur’an and Sunnah and that under the law all individuals should be treated equally, echoing the founding principles of Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
The JUI-F Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chapter also rejected the 27th constitutional amendment on November 19, terming it “a conspiracy against the Islamic constitution and contrary to national interests”.
The party also announced that a provincial-level Khatm-e-Nabuwwat conference will be held in Mardan on December 14, where JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman will deliver a keynote address and unveil the party’s future course of action.
