Hafiz Naeemur Rehman criticizes the recent constitutional amendment, calling it a midnight assault on the Constitution by a fake Parliament

ISLAMABAD, Oct 21 (SABAH): Emir Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Engineer Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has criticized the recent constitutional amendment, calling it a midnight assault on the Constitution by a fake Parliament.

Speaking at a press conference along with Deputy Chiefs of JI Liaqat Baloch, Mian Muhammad Aslam, JI Islamabad Emir Engineer Nasrullah Randhawa and other leaders on Monday, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman announced that the Jamaat-e-Islami is considering challenging the amendment in the Supreme Court and leading a protest movement. “We will make a decision after consultations,” he said, adding the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government first launched attack on democracy in 2018 through horse trading and now it made assault on the constitution.

He said that over half of the National Assembly members secured their seats through rigged elections, using fake Form 47. He said that Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz, and his brother Shehbaz Sharif, along with 22 MQM members, were elected through blatant electoral fraud. He questioned how such a fake parliament could amend a constitution that was unanimously adopted by all political parties in 1973.

He further criticized JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who initially rejected the amendment but later participated in the talks and ultimately voted in favor of it, noting that Maulana is now part of the government. However, he praised the PTI for boycotting the parliamentary session.

He expressed disappointment that PTI had engaged in discussions on the amendment, saying that their complete withdrawal from the process could have helped build public pressure. Hafiz Naeemur Rehman also said he is awaiting a response from the bar associations and will also discuss future strategies regarding the amendment with the PTI.

He said the government diverted attention from public issues by focusing on this amendment, which he described as an attempt to control the judiciary. He demanded that the government lower the prices of electricity, gas, and petrol, remove unfair taxes on salaried individuals, and impose taxes on the feudal class.

Hafiz Naeemur Rehman announced that Jamaat-e-Islami will observe October 27 as Black Day in protest against Indian atrocities in Occupied Kashmir. He condemned statements by Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz advocating for improved relations with India, asserting that the nation will never seek friendship with India at the cost of Kashmiri blood. He further paid tribute to the Palestinian struggle and called on Muslim world leaders to take concrete steps to end Israeli aggression in Gaza.