ISLAMABAD: As murmurs about another constitutional amendment gain strength, the JUI-F has called a meeting of its top leaders to discuss the issue, a source in the party told Dawn.

The speculations started after a meeting bet­ween Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PPP Chairperson Bila­wal Bhutto-Zardari in Lahore on Sunday.

The meeting, also attended by key leaders of PML-N and PPP, discussed another constitutional amendment, colloquially known as the 27th amendment, to reform local governments and “address issues skipped in previous legislation”, sources told Dawn.

Party fears govt might add text omitted from previous amendment in next legislation

Government officials have denied the report.

However, JUI-F has expressed misgivings about the intentions of the “power that be”.

“It has been predicted by many politicians too that there was a need for judicial reforms and that the country needed a fast and affordable judicial system. But, will it mean creating some way to transfer the cases of civilians to the military courts?” questioned a JUI-F leader who confirmed the meeting of the party’s Markazi Majlis-i-Shoora or Central Executive Committee (CEC).

Sources in the party said the invitation for Saturday’s meeting stated that the government was preparing for the 27th constitutional amendment.

“It will be an important meeting … and the members are expected to be prepared in advance for the meeting on Saturday,” a senior party official said.

He added that the motives of power brokers “cannot be taken lightly” as some proposed changes dropped from the draft of the 26th amendment due to the efforts of JUI-F emir Maulana Fazlur Rehman “might make it through this time”.

Maulana Fazl has already said he was unaware of any new amendment and that his party would oppose any attempt to include the omitted text of the 26th amendment in future legislation.

Meanwhile, JUI-F spokesperson Aslam Ghori said the CEC meeting will discuss the “expected motives, effects and background of the 26th Constitutional Amendment”.

The meeting will be held in Islamabad and chaired by Mr Rehman, the spokesperson said in a statement.

He added that the CEC would discuss JUI-F’s role in reaching the consensus which led to the passage of the 26th Constitutional Amendment in parliament. According to Mr Ghori, the meeting will also discuss other issues, including the situation in Palestine and Lebanon, as well as the current domestic and international political situation.

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2024