Rehman criticized 27th Amendment process, saying government failed to consult opposition
JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman addresses a press conference in Peshawar. Photo courtesy: JUI/Facebook
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman has slammed the 27th constitutional amendment, calling its approval “forced and illegitimate” and saying it does not improve the stature of those who pushed it through.
Addressing a press conference at a JUI-F Shura meeting on Tuesday, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said the assembly 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, with Shura supporting their position.
The 27th Amendment, adopted by a two-thirds majority by the National Assembly and the Senate, made 59 changes to the Constitution. The changes include the establishment of the Federal Constitutional Court, changes in the military command structure, immunity of the President of Pakistan and amendments to Article 199, which concerns 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 the PTI’s proposals. “This amendment,” he added, “was the subject of a process of mutual consultation and was adopted in Parliament with relative consensus.”
Rehman criticized the 27th Amendment process, saying the government failed to consult the opposition, particularly the JUI-F. He called the two-thirds majority used to pass the amendment “forced and false,” arguing 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: President signs 27th Amendment bill
He also claimed that the 26th Amendment had seen parliamentarians reluctantly approve measures that the government had initially abandoned, creating complexities that even courts struggle to interpret. He said the JUI-F had always supported the principle of the Constitutional Court.
Rehman further accused the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) of acting against the spirit of democracy, saying that despite having a two-thirds majority, it had consulted smaller provinces and then supported an undemocratic process.
He criticized provisions granting lifetime immunity to some officials, questioning why former President Zardari, who had spent eight years in prison, was now immune from prosecution.
Learn more: JUI-F rejects the 27th amendment
On military leadership, Rehman acknowledged the courage of the chiefs of the three armed forces against India, but argued that the lifetime privileges granted to them under the amendment were “untenable in a democratic society” and risked creating a class system. He suggested that the armed forces give up these benefits.
Rehman concluded by emphasizing that the adoption of laws contrary to the principles of equality undermines democratic norms. He asserted that the Islamic Republic of Pakistan was founded on the Quran and Sunnah and that under the law all individuals must 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, calling it a “conspiracy against the Islamic Constitution and against 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 action plan.
