RAWALPINDI: In a sharp critique of the judiciary-centric constitutional package proposed by the ruling coalition, jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan voiced strong opposition, accusing the government of attempting constitutional amendments aimed at keeping him imprisoned. During an informal discussion with journalists at Adiala Jail, Khan warned that the “new amendments would destroy the country’s future” and condemned the ruling coalition’s alleged move to undermine the judiciary.
Allegations of Election Manipulation and Government Fear of Supreme Court
Khan further claimed that the current government is pushing for a separate constitutional court because “they are afraid of the Supreme Court” and are seeking ways to sidestep judicial oversight. He also alleged that these actions by the government were an attempt to “hide election fraud,” reiterating his party’s long-standing claim that the February 8 general elections were rigged through manipulations like those involving Form-47, which cost PTI a major electoral victory.
PTI’s Planned Response and Opposition to Constitutional Amendments
The PTI founder vowed that his party would not remain silent and would protest against any moves to pass these constitutional amendments, especially ones allegedly aimed at prolonging the tenure of Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, who is set to retire in October, as well as raising the retirement age for judges. According to Khan, these amendments were designed to protect the ruling coalition’s interests.
Government’s Struggles to Secure Majority for Constitutional Amendments
In response to these accusations, the ruling coalition led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has struggled to gather the necessary two-thirds majority in parliament to pass the constitutional amendment bill. After failing to secure the crucial support of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the government has indefinitely postponed the proposed constitutional package.
Senator Irfan Siddiqui of PML-N commented on the delay, acknowledging that while Fazlur Rehman’s “arguments were well-justified,” he did not oppose the amendments on principled grounds, but instead requested more time to review the draft. With a shortage of 13 votes in the National Assembly and nine in the Senate, the government faces significant challenges in moving forward with its legislative agenda.
Calls for Transparency and Debate
Opposition parties, including PTI and JUI-F, have criticized the government for maintaining secrecy around the proposed amendments, demanding that the original draft be presented in parliament for open debate before any further steps are taken. The future of the constitutional amendments remains uncertain as both treasury and opposition benches continue their political tug-of-war over the issue.
