Pakistan: JUI-F chief expresses willingness to back govt's constitutional package with "ifs and buts"

Islamabad [Pakistan], October 12 (ANI): Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Friday expressed willingness to support the government's "constitutional package" with "ifs and buts", Geo News reported.
Speaking to reporters in Islamabad, he said, "We can agree on a very suitable draft if our proposals are accepted [by the government]."
The constitutional package, among other things, aims to establish a federal constitutional court and fix the tenure of the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) for three years.
Pakistan government has tried to present the bill to amend the Constitution in September. However, its allies and members from the opposition benches vehemently opposed the proposal, forcing the administration to start a consultation process.
After the meeting of the Special Committee of Parliament on Friday, Fazl said, "We are trying to remove the 'controversial contents' from the draft." He said that people have rejected the government's draft of the constitutional amendments, Geo News reported.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that people are praising the stance taken by the JUI-F regarding the constitutional amendments. He further said, "If parliament is representative of the people then it should not ignore their wishes."
In response to a question, Fazl said that JUI-F and Pakistan Peoples Party would move forward towards a consensus draft. He stated that Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif-led government should take other allies into confidence regarding the matter.
Stressing that the government's amendments to the Constitution are "unacceptable", Rehman said JUI-F would be able to back the constitutional package if the government accepted the party's suggestions regarding the contentious legislation.
He stated that JUI-F, after reaching a consensus with the PPP, would share the draft with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Bilawal-led party would share it with the government, according to Geo News report.
In response to another question, he emphasised the need to restore the 18th Amendment and abolish the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, stressing that this would increase the parliament's role in judicial appointments.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that all political forces should be brought on the same page over the draft. He said, "If we had to vote [in favour of the amendments], we would have voted," adding that JUI-F was not in favour of the draft as it was unacceptable to them.
Asked about the timeframe of the passage of the constitutional package, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said, "We took 9 months for the 18th Amendment. At least 9 days would be required to decide the matter."
Responding to another query, he opposed politicising the superior court judges for vested interests. Asked whether he supports establishing a separate court for hearing constitutional matters, Fazl said a constitutional court and bench could be substitutes for each other, Geo News reported.
Speaking about the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting set to be held in Islamabad on October 15-16, the JUI-F leader said that they would warmly welcome all the participants of the meeting. (ANI)