Fazlur Rehman urges Zardari to 'defend' 18th Amendment

KARACHI: JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Monday urged President Asif Ali Zardari to safeguard the 18th Amendment, saying the president should show the same resolve he had demonstrated when the amendment was enacted in 2010.

Speaking to journalists after addressing a Meet the Press programme organised by the Karachi Press Club, Fazlur Rehman was asked about the proposed 28th Amendment. He said the government had not presented a clear position on the matter and that the situation remained unclear.

At the same time, he spoke firmly in support of the 18th Amendment, describing it as a major accomplishment of political parties achieved after extensive effort under the PPP-led coalition government in 2010. He said the amendment had restored the supremacy of the Constitution after repeated setbacks during different periods of military rule.

Fazlur Rehman also accused the present government of seeking fresh legislation to further strengthen the military establishment and expand its role in the country’s system. He said the ruling parties were not serious about maintaining law and order or improving the economy.

Referring to President Zardari’s role at the time the 18th Amendment was passed, the JUI-F chief said the president should now step forward again to protect it.

"It was the PPP’s government and Asif Ali Zardari was the president. Many people don’t know that President Zardari awarded the Nishan-i-Imtiaz to everyone involved in it. I was the only one who refused to accept it. Now, he’s president again and the 18th Amendment is under the radar. I ask him and invite him on behalf of my party to come forward and save the 18th Amendment for which his party takes credit," he said.

Call for fresh elections

Fazlur Rehman said the country was facing serious political, economic and security challenges, while the authorities were not showing seriousness in addressing public issues, improving law and order or strengthening the economy. He called for fresh, free, fair and transparent elections so that, in his words, the real representatives of the people could emerge.

He also referred to the security situation in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying the conditions in the two provinces amounted to nothing less than a rebellion. On the economy, he maintained that every second Pakistani was living below the poverty line.

"The country has faced challenges for decades but we believe that the last two elections [in 2018 and 2024] have caused such deep damage that it may take years for the country to recover from these crises. We have already announced a nationwide protest on May 22 to denounce government policies and growing inflation. We cannot remain silent spectators to the situation. We will play our role peacefully within the constitutional and legal framework," he said on his party’s protest plans.

Foreign policy remarks

Responding to a question about the war in the region and Pakistan’s strained ties with Afghanistan, Fazlur Rehman said Pakistan’s role in the Middle East and recent conflicts could be no more than that of a mediator, adding that the country was already playing that part.

On relations with Afghanistan, he said both countries remained important to each other despite disagreements on several issues. He also called for an in-camera session of parliament on foreign affairs, saying lawmakers should be briefed on why diplomatic efforts had failed and why ties with Afghanistan had deteriorated to the current point.

"As far as Afghanistan is concerned, the two countries are important for each other despite disagreements on several issues. At times, I am unable to understand how quickly we change our positions. I have demanded earlier and I do again that an in-camera session of parliament must be called for a briefing on our foreign affairs. We should know why our diplomatic efforts have failed and why our relations with Afghanistan have come to this point," he said.