ISLAMABAD: When JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman arrived to the Presidency on Monday to participate in a multi-party moot on the Palestine issue, the ruling coalition made another attempt to persuade him of the benefits of its proposed “Constitutional Package.”
Top coalition leaders reportedly approached the veteran politician at the ceremony to ask for his help in passing the constitutional amendment, which put him in an embarrassing situation. Maulana Fazl received a revised draft of the proposed amendment just two days ago.
Prior to the commencement of the conference, a separate meeting with the Maulana lasted more than thirty minutes and was attended by President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif, PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar.
Sources claimed leaders of the ruling alliance tried to persuade upon the JUI-F president to ensure that his legislators vote for the proposed modification in both houses of parliament so that the coalition could attain the two-thirds majority required for the approval of a constitutional revision.
The government holds 214 of the 336 members of the house’s votes. To reach the necessary number of votes, 10 more NA votes are needed. JUI-F has five Senate votes and eight NA votes. Not even if it defeats the Maulana, it would be short by a few votes.
According to media accounts, Mr. Sharif also had a one-on-one meeting with the Maulana before traveling to Murree, which government insiders characterized as “quite significant.” On the other hand, no formal word was available.
Senator Irfan Siddiqui of the PML-N, meantime, informed Dawn that PPP Chairman Bilawal had given Maulana Fazl a revised text of the proposed constitution.
He stated that the draft was created taking Maulana’s requests and suggestions into consideration. The senator stated, “We think Maulana won’t object now that the draft was revised in accordance with his demands.”
