Coalition needs Fazl's support for constitutional amendments: Irfan Siddiqui

PML-N senator warns of dangers of judicial overreach, calling it ‘the most frightening form of dictatorship’

Senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Parliamentary Leader in the Senate, Irfan Siddiqui, has emphasised the need for JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s support, not just his votes, in the coalition’s efforts to pass constitutional amendments.

Speaking to a private TV channel on Thursday, Siddiqui hailed the Supreme Court's recent decision on the review petition regarding Article 63-A, calling it a correction of a major mistake. “This decision doesn’t give relief to the government or any party—it gives relief to the Constitution,” he remarked.

Siddiqui criticised the previous ruling by former chief justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justices Ijazul Ahsan, and Muneeb Akhtar, claiming they had effectively rewritten the Constitution to favour one political party in Punjab. “They added an extra phrase to ensure Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi took the chief minister's seat, instead of Hamza Shehbaz,” he alleged.

He further warned of the dangers of judicial overreach, calling it “the most frightening form of dictatorship.” Siddiqui said, "Unlike military or administrative authoritarianism, judicial dictatorship knows no bounds and uses justice as a weapon to cross all limits."

Siddiqui stressed the importance of Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s involvement in ongoing negotiations between political parties, stating, “We need not only his votes but Maulana himself. Everything is happening in broad daylight, and media discussions show political parties are engaging in talks.”

He expressed confidence that Fazlur Rehman would soon reach a decision and predicted that a parliamentary session would be convened within the next 10 days.

Commenting on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) actions, Siddiqui drew parallels to the party’s behaviour during the 2014 protests, suggesting that PTI’s approach had not changed since the May 9 incidents. He criticised PTI’s plans for unrest during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting, saying it was consistent with their past conduct.

Siddiqui also echoed Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s concerns, stating that after October 25, passing constitutional amendments could become more difficult.

He recalled that on May 3, the Law Minister informed the Judicial Commission with full transparency about the government’s intent to introduce a constitutional package. “If we wanted to do this in secrecy, we would have remained silent,” Siddiqui added.

He claimed that certain judges became alarmed and acted out of fear, attempting to block the ruling coalition’s two-thirds majority to prevent any amendments to the Constitution.