Fazlur Rehman Urges Government to Withdraw ‘Flawed’ 27th Amendment and Restore Constitutional Balance

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has urged the government to withdraw what he described as the “mistakes” made in the 27th Constitutional Amendment, warning that the move has created serious controversy and undermined democratic principles.

Speaking during the joint session of Parliament, Fazlur Rehman said that Parliament is a forum meant for consultation and consensus-building, but this process was ignored in the case of the 27th Amendment. “The 27th Amendment will remain controversial and should be considered a wound on the title of the Constitution,” he added. He noted that even former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, despite having a two-thirds majority in 1973, held extensive negotiations with political forces while framing the Constitution.

Discussing the previous 26th Amendment, he said that legislation at that time included recommendations related to interest-free economic reforms. “When the 26th Amendment came, PTI friends remained in contact, and we achieved consensus within a month,” he said, adding that the process was democratic and inclusive.

In contrast, Fazlur Rehman argued that the democratic requirements for the 27th Amendment were not fulfilled, accusing the government of displaying “political immaturity.” He questioned why the amendment was pushed through deliberately in such a manner, claiming that certain individuals were granted concessions that widened class divisions. “We have no issue with personalities or their offices — but the principle matters,” he said.

He also criticized the recent policy direction in Punjab, saying that district commissioners were “twisting arms” to register religious scholars with the education department. He objected to the amendment’s interpretation declaring shariah-compliant marriages of individuals under 18 as “sexual assault,” questioning how children born of such marriages would be considered legitimate. “You claim you fear accountability before God, but you have already taken actions that need to be corrected,” he remarked.