Islamabad: JUI Chief Opposes Any Move to Curb Provincial Powers Under Proposed 27th Amendment

ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has warned that any attempt to curtail provincial powers through the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment will be strongly opposed.

Speaking at a press conference, the JUI leader said that no official draft of the amendment has yet been made public, but if the federal government seeks to roll back powers granted to provinces under the 18th Amendment, it would be “unacceptable” and “a setback to democracy.”

He added that the government had earlier withdrawn 35 clauses during the 26th Amendment, and if any of those clauses reappear in the 27th Amendment, it would be considered “an insult to the Constitution.”

Rehman emphasized that his party stands for strengthening provincial autonomy, not reducing it. He also cautioned that any changes to Article 243 that may undermine democratic principles will not be acceptable.

In addition, the JUI chief criticized the government for failing to take progress on the elimination of interest-based financial systems and delaying the registration of religious seminaries. “No real progress is visible on key issues; what the country needs now is a collective approach to set things right,” he said.