ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif are likely to meet Jamiat-i-Ulema Islam- Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and persuade him to back the government in passing the proposed constitutional amendment.
Earlier, a high level government delegation including Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Mohsin Naqvi and others called the Maulana and requested him to vote in the favour of the government to pass the amendment.
Amid discussions surrounding the constitutional package to be introduced by the current government, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has become a pivotal figure, with both the ruling coalition and the opposition vying for his support in parliament.
Fazl has held several significant meetings with both sides, as the ruling coalition seeks the necessary votes for passing the constitutional amendment, while the opposition works to counter it.
This constitutional package is being speculated to include a potential extension for Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, who is set to retire in October. However, the government has remained silent on the details of the amendments, clarifying only that the changes are not aimed at any individual but will influence the judicial process.
Sources said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with the JUI-F chief to seek his backing for the constitutional amendment, with Fazl requesting a draft to review with his party leaders before making a decision. Fazl also met with Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, and others, while his own delegation included key figures from JUI-F.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also attended the meetings, alongside Bilawal and Maulana Asad Mahmood.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, along with several government officials, also met with Fazl to discuss the amendment. According to JUI-F's Murtaza, the government has made several proposals, which will be considered by the party leaders.
He stressed that all political parties, including PTI, should be consulted on the constitutional amendments.
Fazl also held discussions with a PTI delegation led by Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, though the PTI representatives left without addressing the media.
One of the expected changes in the constitutional package includes raising the retirement age of Supreme Court and High Court judges to 68 and 65, respectively, through amendments to Article 179.
The government is also considering revising the seniority-based appointment of the Chief Justice of Pakistan under Article 175A. Additionally, plans are underway to create a constitutional court and amend Article 63-A, which pertains to lawmaker defections.
A day earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif consulted with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) parliamentarians and allied parties about the possible amendments.
To pass the constitutional amendment, the government will need a two-thirds majority in both houses of parliament. In the National Assembly, 224 votes are required, while 64 votes are needed in the Senate.
Currently, the ruling coalition has 211 members in the National Assembly, while the opposition holds 101 seats. This means the government still needs 13 additional votes to pass the amendment.
The ruling coalition includes PML-N, PPP, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), and other smaller parties. In the Senate, the government has 54 seats, falling nine votes short of the required 64. The opposition in the Senate includes PTI, JUI-F, and several smaller parties, with a total of 31 senators.
