Omar Ayub claims Tarar, Bhutto had no knowledge of draft constitutional amendments

ISLAMABAD: As tensions rose between the coalition government and opposition over a controversial judicial reform package, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and National Assembly Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan on Thursday said that “martial law would have been imposed” if the constitutional amendment bill had passed.

The government had been pushing a constitutional reform package amid rumors about a potential extension for Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, who is set to retire in October. This followed PTI’s request last month for an early announcement of the next CJP’s appointment.

Speaking outside parliament, Ayub criticized Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto, claiming they had no knowledge of the draft amendments.

He accused the government and its allies of playing a “negative” role in the special parliamentary committee and acting as “puppets,” implying they were ready to hand over power to others.

He commended Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman for taking a firm stand against the proposed amendments, calling them “unacceptable” to the opposition. Despite longstanding rivalry, PTI and JUI-F found common ground after the February 8 general elections, as both parties voiced concerns over alleged interference during the polls.

Ayub warned that the opposition would strongly oppose any attempt to reintroduce such amendments, asserting that passing the bill would be akin to imposing martial law.

Efforts by the ruling coalition, including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), to win over Fazlur Rehman were unsuccessful. Despite the government’s claims of having enough votes to pass the bill, it failed to present the amendments in parliament, and the plan was postponed indefinitely, confirmed by PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui.

The government is currently short by 13 votes in the National Assembly and nine in the Senate to pass the amendments.

Ayub also criticized the government for not using the Supreme Court’s constitutional benches to address constitutional issues. He raised concerns about the potential establishment of a separate constitutional court, warning that it would allow President Asif Ali Zardari to appoint judges and create laws at will, a move Ayub deemed unacceptable.

He further claimed that the government was seeking to approve 57 constitutional amendments, including changes to Articles 8, 199, and 200 of the Constitution. The opposition, he noted, had little influence in the parliamentary committee, as they were not provided with drafts of the proposed changes, and government members failed to address their concerns.

Looking ahead, Ayub announced that PTI would hold a major rally in Lahore on September 21, with founder Imran Khan urging party members to fully prepare for the event.

In addition to challenging the government over the judicial reform, PTI reached out to Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) to collaborate on its opposition to the proposed legislative changes. A PTI delegation, led by former president Dr. Arif Alvi, met JI Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman to discuss the amendments.

After their meeting, Naeem declared that his party rejected the entire legislative process surrounding the 26th constitutional amendment bill. He argued that every political party should have the freedom to engage in political activities, warning that democracy could be at risk. Naeem also accused the ruling coalition of coming to power through election manipulation, referencing the controversial “Form 47.”

Alvi, during the joint press conference, described the constitutional amendment bill as a “burial bill” from a government disconnected from the public.