LAHORE: Jamaat-i-Islami emir Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman says the Supreme Court’s ruling on reserved seats has further strengthened the hybrid system, depriving the people of their democratic rights.

“The verdict is regrettable and based on a flawed interpretation of the Constitution,” he said in a statement issued on Saturday. The decision of the constitutional bench, said Rehman, had once again raised serious questions about the credibility of the judicial system. He added that the 26th Amendment allowed powerful quarters to bring the judiciary under complete control.

“Ruling elites are now using the courts to get favourable decisions. Jamaat-e-Islami had vehemently opposed the 26th Amendment and out rightly rejected it while some opposition parties became a part of it.”

The JI leader said had the opposition taken a principled stand, at least some credibility of the courts might have been preserved. Commenting on the implications of the verdict, he said, it remained to be seen how both the government and opposition parties would respond to it.

Flays KP govt for failing to respond to Swat River tragedy

“Will they accept the PTI’s rightful seats as spoils of war or adopt a moral, principled, and democratic position by refusing to take them?” he asked.

He remarked that for Pakistan’s so-called political parties, democracy was nothing more than a tool for personal gain.

“Political parties must correct their direction and prioritise democratic values over personal interests. Only then can rule of law and constitutional supremacy be established in the country,” he said and emphasised that the people themselves must now rise for their rights through peaceful resistance—and that JI offered the most credible platform for such a struggle.

Meanwhile, Rehman expressed sorrow over the tragic drowning of tourists in the Swat River and extended condolences to the bereaved families. He criticised the government for failing to respond in time, saying, “the authorities watched helplessly on TV as children and women were swept away by the current. A helicopter could have reached them from Islamabad in just 30 minutes—or even less from Peshawar. But while the ruling elite can immediately deploy helicopters and jets for personal use, the citizens of this country are left to die without help.”

The JI chief held the ruling class responsible for monopolising national resources and failing to provide the common man even with basic facilities.

“The people have been abandoned. The government has failed to protect lives,” he said.

He pointed out that the PTI had been in power in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for over 13 years, yet the Swat tragedy once again exposed its incompetence. He demanded that all illegal encroachments—especially those on riverbanks—and unauthorised hotels in tourist areas must be immediately removed to prevent future disasters.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2025