- Omar praises Fazl for rejecting the proposed constitutional package.
- The opposition vows to firmly resist if “amendments are tabled again.”
- Former President Arif Alvi calls the proposed amendments a “burial bill.”
ISLAMABAD: As the coalition government and the opposition intensified their parliamentary battle over the contentious judicial package, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan on Thursday claimed that “martial law would have been imposed in the country if the Constitutional Amendment Bill had been passed.”
The government pushed through the proposed constitutional package amid speculation over a possible extension of the tenure of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, who is set to retire in October this year, following the PTI's request last month for early issuance of a notification on the appointment of the next top judge.
“[Federal Law Minister] Azam Nazeer Tarar and [PPP Chairman] “Bilawal Bhutto knows nothing about the draft amendments,” Ayub said while speaking to reporters outside parliament.
The opposition leader, criticising Treasury officials, said the role of government officials and their allies in the special parliamentary committee was “negative”.
He went on to say that “these people are playing the role of puppets” and alleged that Treasury officials were willing to cede all authority to “someone else.”
Lauding the “positive role” of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief in the ongoing tussle between the government and the opposition, he said Maulana Fazlur Rehman gave a clear statement that the draft amendments were “unacceptable” to the opposition.
The PTI and JUI-F, which have traditionally been arch-rivals, found common ground after the February 8 general elections as both expressed mutual concerns over alleged interference and manipulation during the elections.
Ayub said opposition lawmakers will put up strong resistance in parliament if “such amendments are tabled again.”
He said it would be tantamount to imposing martial law in the country if such a bill were to be passed.
The ruling coalition spared no effort to woo Fazl, with leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) holding a series of meetings with the cleric, but to no avail.
Despite claims of having achieved the “magic number” needed to push through the bill, the government failed to table the amendments in parliament and postponed their passage indefinitely, a fact confirmed by PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui.
To approve the constitutional amendments, the government needs 13 votes in the National Assembly (AN) and nine in the Senate.
The opposition leader also questioned the government for not using the constitutional tribunals of the Supreme Court to address constitutional issues.
Expressing concern over the establishment of a separate constitutional court, Ayub said: “The judge of such a court would be appointed by President Asif Ali Zardari and would frame laws of his own choice,” adding that any kind of “super court” would be unacceptable.
He said the government planned to pass “57 constitutional amendments, including Articles 8, 199 and 200.” [of the Constitution]”.
Opposition MPs were silent spectators at the special committee meeting as the draft of the proposed constitutional amendments was not available, he added. Government MPs did not receive any answers to opposition questions at the meeting.
Explaining the future course of action of the former ruling party regarding its anti-government movement, the opposition leader announced that the PTI would stage its power show in Lahore on September 21 (Saturday) at any cost.
“PTI founder Imran Khan has given a message to party workers to finalise preparations for Lahore jalse as it will be held no matter what,” he added.
PTI and JI discuss constitutional amendments
Apart from giving the coalition government a hard time over the proposed constitutional package, the Imran-founded party also reached out to Jamaat-e-Islami to update it on its ongoing parliamentary battle against the judiciary-focused legislation.
A PTI delegation led by former President Dr Arif Alvi today met JI Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman and discussed the proposed constitutional amendments at Mansoora, the JI headquarters in Lahore.
Addressing a press conference alongside Alvi and other JI leaders after the meeting, Hafiz Naeem said they discussed the 26th Constitutional Amendment Bill and his party rejected the entire legislative process.
The IJI emir said that each party must have space to continue its political activity, otherwise the existence of democracy in the country would be called into question. He said that the parties of the ruling coalition came to power on the basis of “Form 47”, referring to the alleged manipulation of the results of the February 8 elections.
Alvi, speaking at the press conference, called the constitutional amendment bill a “burial bill” of a government that has no foothold with the public.
