ISLAMABAD: The ruling coalition failed to convince Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) to support its attempts to bring constitutional amendments about the superior judiciary, with the secrecy surrounding the proposed legislation being the bone of contention.

The PML-N and PPP leaders, separately, were supposed to meet the JUI-F chief at his residence on Monday to court the veteran politician from Dera Ismail Khan for support in the passage of the constitutional package.

But in an unusual snub, the JUI-F chief did not meet the PML-N delegation which was supposed to arrive after noon prayers. Instead of waiting for the delegation, the JUI-F central executive committee commenced its meeting at 3pm.

After an hour or so, the PML-N leader Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha arrived, only to be informed that the hosts were otherwise engaged. Mr Ranjha told media persons that he was not there for negotiations.

“No, I am a friend of Maulana; there is no delegation,” Mr Ranjha responded with a phone to his ear. It seemed the government delegation did not turn up because of the cold shoulder its former MNA got from the Maulana. The JUI-F leader, however, had a cordial meeting with a visiting PPP delegation.

Talking to the media following the meeting, Khursheed Shah and Naveed Qamar said the JUI-F chief had been informed that the PPP was working on the bill and the party supported the establishment of the constitutional court.

Later, JUI-F’s Senator Kamran Murtaza opposed amendments to Article 8 and Article 199. “The PPP will give us their draft, we will see it and make a consensus decision,” Senator Murtaza told reporters. He added that the discussion was focused only on the undue and stern restrictions imposed in proposed draft, and the JUI-F had serious reservations about them.

Similarly, a member of the PPP delegation confided that the JUI-F team remained focused on the clauses and repercussions of the proposed constitutional amendments.

Responding to a query about any material demand of the JUI-F leadership from the government the PPP delegation members said, “There was no discussion on over any other topic and the JUI-F remained strictly over the subject of the constitutional amendment.”

On Monday night, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti and Senator Anwaarul Haq also visited the residence of the Maulana. During the meeting, the sources said the JUI-F was offered to join the Balochistan government and the federal government.

However, instead of responding to any offer, the JUI-F chief invited former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Miftah Ismail of the Awam Pakistan party, who had been wanting to meet the JUI-F leader for the past few days.

“The matter did not go ahead and Maulana continued to seek the opinion of Mr Abbasi about the proposed constitutional amendment, the topic of offering any slot to JUI-F in the government fizzled out,” sources said.

About the meeting that ended in the early hours of Monday, Mr Ismail said: “During our discussion, the Maulana reiterated several times that his only interest was to have a broader debate on the serious subject of amendments in the constitution — and I do not have any impression that he was demanding any share in the government.”

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2024