LAHORE: After the PML-N-led coalition failed to table a contentious ‘Constitutional Package’ in parlia­ment due to an inability to convince Maulana Fazlur Rehman — a former ally of the PML-N — questions are being raised over the role of PML-N President Nawaz Sharif, who remained conspicuous by his absence from the scene, despite the tough time being faced by his party.

There are also questions about whether the former premier was on board with the amendments proposed by the government of his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif, who is leading a coalition government in the Centre, and if so, why he did not play an active role.

Dawn spoke to a number of PML-N leaders and party insiders about the role of the elder Sharif in the Constitutional Package saga.

His close aide and former informa­tion minister Pervaiz Rasheed said that the PML-N president had been thoroughly briefed on the Constitutional Package and had given it a thumbs-up.

Insiders say PML-N chief warned to stay away due to Maulana’s ‘obstinacy’

“Mian sahib [did not have] any reservations over the proposed draft. He was briefed on it thorou­ghly and it was subsequently put to others to evolve a larger consensus,” Senator Rasheed told Dawn on Thursday.

With the party president on board, the PML-N then reached out to other parties, including the JUI-F, which eventually snubbed the ruling coalition and “completely rejected” the proposed amendments on Wednesday.

Interestingly, a government dele­gation made several calls on the Maulana, while PM Shehbaz also met him twice — but in vain.

After the PML-N failed to win the Maulana over, Nawaz Sharif spoke to his younger brother and expressed a willingness to wade in to try and persuade the JUI-F leader, with whom he has a considerable rapport.

However, insiders claimed Nawaz was told that the Maulana had made up his mind, so it might not be a good idea to call on the JUI-F chief, knowing he would not budge from his stance.

Nawaz Sharif and his nephew Hamza Shehbaz — who are both MNAs — had remained in Islamabad over the weekend to take part in the voting for the proposed constitutio­nal package, but returned to Lahore after the coalition government’s attempts to muster a two-thirds majority in parliament fell through.

The elder Sharif had expressed his disappointment on his younger brother’s failure to woo Maulana Fazlur Rehman, another party insider said, adding that both the PML-N and PPP did not expect the Maulana to be such a tough nut to crack.

However, there are murmuring in Punjab, where some PML-N leaders are reportedly not happy with how the elder Sharif handled the situation.

They said the PML-N president should have summoned a meeting of the party’s top brass and grilled them for not delivering.

“The PML-N government has faced a huge embarrassment and [this episode is] a blow to its future plans related to the judicial amend­ments,” another party leader said.

However, Mr Rasheed was still hopeful of a consensus on the proposed amendments, even though the PPP and JUI-F are said to be working on their own drafts.

“The process of consultation with other parties is underway. One thing is clear, all parties want judicial reforms. They have a total consensus on this. However, no timeframe can be given regarding a consensus on the draft,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2024