Senator Faisal Vawda shakes hands with Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman after a meeting at the latter’s residence in Islamabad on Wednesday. SCREEN CAPTURE
ISLAMABAD:
As the ruling PML-N pushes for a consensus on the proposed constitutional amendments, Senator Faisal Vawda met JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Islamabad on Wednesday to brief him on the draft and invite his input before the party takes a final position.
Fazl, whose party support was crucial to the passage of the 26th Amendment last year, would “review and understand” the new proposals before making a decision, Vawda told reporters after the meeting.
He said the government was moving forward with the 27th Constitutional Amendment and had sought guidance from the JUI-F chief on its clauses, adding that “the numbers are already in place” and describing Fazl as “a strong and experienced politician”.
According to the JUI-F spokesperson, the two discussed the political situation in the country and Aslam Ghauri was also present during the meeting.
Vawda sought to allay fears about sweeping constitutional changes, emphasizing that the 18th Amendment was not being undone.
“It is not a question of numbers, it is about the survival and security of Pakistan,” the senator told reporters, adding that he often comes out of meetings with Fazl “positively” and that Fazl has always supported Pakistan.
In response to a question, the senator joked that while there was a lot of excitement and excitement about the 27th Amendment, “they were already gearing up for the 28th.”
He argued that if consensus required further consultation, meetings could be called at any time.
Regarding parliamentary arithmetic, he stated: “Where numbers are needed, they will be found” and welcomed any involvement from Fazl in the process.
He described President Asif Ali Zardari as an important political player and praised the “powerful father-son combination” in national politics, referring to PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
Regarding the substance of the reforms, Vawda argued that the changes to Article 243, which addresses the command and control of the armed forces, reflect contemporary security realities beyond conventional battlefields.
“Article 243 is not just about land warfare; it also covers cyber, global economic and hybrid threats,” he said.
He said the amendments would include provisions on postings, transfers and permanence, aimed at strengthening the armed forces for multidimensional threats. Vawda emphasized that strengthening Pakistan’s three services would improve national defence.
Vawda urged that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) be given confidence over the amendment. “If the PTI pursues constructive politics, it should certainly participate.”
