JUI-F’s Abdul Ghafoor Haidri Criticizes Justice Qazi Faez Isa, Questions Support for Constitutional Amendments

Islamabad: Abdul Ghafoor Haidri, the central secretary-general of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) and a member of the National Assembly, expressed strong disapproval of Justice Qazi Faez Isa during an informal conversation with reporters at the Parliament House. He stated that Isa’s decision in the Mubarak Shahani case was made deliberately and was later retracted under public pressure. “How can we support a person like him in constitutional amendments?” Haidri questioned.
He criticized the government for rushing the constitutional amendments without adequately consulting coalition parties, including JUI-F. Haidri noted that while they had requested negotiations regarding the amendments, the draft was not shared with them, despite assurances made during prior discussions.
“We need to legislate, but if the constitution, which is a national covenant, is kept so secret, how can it be evaluated?” he remarked. Haidri highlighted that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had expressed interest in reviewing the draft before further negotiations. He expressed concern over human rights violations mentioned in the government’s draft and indicated a belief that the PPP might have sought a compromise with the government.
He reaffirmed that the decision regarding the constitutional court would only be made once they received and reviewed the draft. Haidri reiterated that Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s prior ruling had caused distress among Muslims and that supporting him would not be possible for JUI-F.
He concluded by stating that the party could not compromise on its principles for positions like that of a governor and emphasized that they had also invited the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to participate in drafting the amendments. He remarked on the establishment’s interest in the current amendments, asserting that creating controversies around institutions does not leave a positive impression.