KARACHI; Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman held a high-level meeting with Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman President Asif Ali Zardari at Bilawal House on Saturday to discuss the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment and other key political issues.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman arrived with a party delegation including Maulana Rashid Soomro, Mufti Abrar Ahmed, and senior leaders. Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari was also present during the discussions.
According to sources, the meeting reviewed the overall political situation in the country, with particular focus on the 27th Amendment bill currently under parliamentary consideration.
Earlier in the day, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi briefed President Zardari on the government’s consultations regarding the controversial amendment.
The meeting came hours after the federal cabinet approved the 27th Constitutional Amendment Bill, which was subsequently tabled in the Senate and referred to the Standing Committee on Law and Justice.
During the committee session, two JUI-F members, MNA Aaliya Kamran and Senator Kamran Murtaza, boycotted proceedings, citing objections that the new draft reintroduced clauses previously dropped from the 26th Amendment Bill.
A day earlier, Maulana Fazlur Rehman had warned that his party would oppose any amendment undermining provincial autonomy guaranteed under the 18th Amendment.
He emphasized that provinces have a constitutional right to an increased share in the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award and cautioned that any attempt to reduce provincial powers would face strong opposition from JUI-F.
Speaking to reporters in Islamabad, Fazlur Rehman said his party had agreed on some “principled points” but would finalize its stance after reviewing the complete draft. On proposed changes to Article 243, governing command of the armed forces, he noted: “If these changes affect democracy, the Constitution, or the political system, we will reject them. However, if they are purely administrative, we will review them before making a decision.”
Meanwhile, the PPP has drawn a clear red line against any alteration in provincial shares under the NFC Award. On November 6, the party indicated conditional support for limited amendments related to Article 243, provided they remain within the federal government’s administrative control.
