ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Irfan Siddiqui has said that constitutional changes will not be possible without the support of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. Senator Siddiqui’s comments come after Fazl outright rejected a proposal for a “controversial” constitutional package aimed at changes in Pakistan’s judicial and parliamentary systems. “Maulana had no objection to the constitutional court or the wording of the appointment of judges,” the PML-N senator said in a speech. Siddiqui said the JUI-F chief did not specifically highlight the differences, adding that constitutional changes would not have been possible without him. “Fazl insists that constitutional changes should not be rushed,” the senator said. He further pointed out that there are at least five proposals circulating in the media and hoped that the JUI-F chief’s proposal is similar to the government’s. Senator Siddiqui lamented the lack of a “magic number” for tabling amendments and said the numbers were expected to be finalized with Fazl’s support, “but it was our credulity”. He further stated that the time of submission of the constitutional amendments has not yet been decided, saying that they could be submitted in September or October. “Once Maulana Fazl is satisfied, the constitutional amendments will be tabled,” Siddiqui said.
