JUI-F refuses to back 22nd Constitutional Amendment

The ruling party has once again failed in convincing Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman over the 22nd constitutional amendment. The government committee led by Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rasheed met the JUI-F chief here on Saturday to address his concerns over the 22nd constitutional amendment. Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq was also present during the talks.
Pervaiz Rasheed told the JUI-F chief that the amendment is aimed at preventing 'horse-trading' in the upcoming Senate elections. "Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) government made efforts to clean the mess created by dictators. Unfortunately, it is the dictatorship which has quashed the norms of morality in the country," he said. He said that a Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reforms has been deliberating for months on issues pertaining to transparency in elections.
He said the objective of transparency in the Senate elections would have been achieved if a party, instead of opting for sit-ins, had participated in the deliberations of the committee. After the meeting, Fazlur Rehman told reporters: "He has not yet recovered from 21st Constitutional Amendment and has to face another amendment." "I have informed the government delegation about my reservations on the constitutional amendment," he said, adding that the ongoing complications would not have occurred if the PTI had joined the electoral reforms committee.
JUI-F chief said that he has strong reservations over the amendment even though his party is an ally of the government, adding that he cannot be part of further law-making. Talking to reporters, Pervaiz Rasheed said that Maulana Fazlur Rehman has expressed some reservations, which would be conveyed to the prime minister and the government will make all efforts to address them.
He said that they desire to address reservations of the JUI-F, which has been struggling for upholding democratic values. "We appreciate his struggle for democracy and his role in the fight against terror," he added. The minister expressed the confidence that the issues involved would be addressed during a meeting to be held in few days.