Fazlur Rehman terms constitutional amendments 'unacceptable'

ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Wednesday categorically rejected the draft of the constitutional amendments, terming it ‘unacceptable and unviable ‘.

Maulana Fazalur Rehman, speaking to journalists while leaving Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Asad Qaiser’s residence, said that his party has thoroughly reviewed the proposed constitutional amendments and found them lacking.

Asad Qaiser hosted a luncheon in honour of Maulana Fazalur Rehman where PTI Chairman Barrister Gahar Ali Khan and others were also present.

“We have completely rejected the government’s draft. Endorsing these amendments would be a betrayal of the nation’s trust,” the JUI-F chief said.

Fazalur Rehman also criticised the government for sharing the draft with a few individuals, adding that the shared document was not a draft but something else.

“We have reviewed what was shared, and found it as unacceptable,” he added.

When questioned about PTI Chairman Imran Khan, Fazalur Rehman smiled and declined to comment further. Speaking on the occasion, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said that they had a productive meeting and discussed the draft of the amendments.

The PTI chairman said that the PTI and JUI-F jointly rejected the proposed constitutional amendments.

Earlier in the day, it was reported that the Pakistan government decided to ‘take’ bar associations into confidence over proposed constitutional amendments

The decision has been reportedly taken to interact with the bar associations, as the lawyers’ bodies have opposed the amendments.

Minister for Law and Justeice Azam Nazeer Tarar will brief the bar associations on the proposed amendments in the Constitution of Pakistan to develop consensus, the sources privty to the development said.

On September 16, former President of the Supreme Court Bar, Hamid Khan, has announced to initiate ‘lawyer movement’ on September 19 against the proposed constitutional amendments.