Vawda meets Fazl as 27th Amendment talks gain pace

As the ruling PML-N pushes for consensus on the proposed constitutional amendments, Senator Faisal Vawda on Wednesday met JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Islamabad to brief him on the draft and invite his input before the party takes a final position. Fazl, whose party's support was crucial for the passage of the 26th Amendment last year, would "review and understand" the new proposals before reaching a decision, Vawda told reporters after the meeting. He said the government was proceeding with the 27th Constitutional Amendment and had sought the JUI-F chief's guidance on its clauses, adding that "the numbers are already in place" and describing Fazl as "a strong and seasoned politician". According to the JUI-F spokesman, the two discussed the country's political situation, and Aslam Ghauri was also present during the meeting. Vawda sought to allay fears about sweeping constitutional reversals, stressing that the 18th Amendment was not being undone. "It's not a matter of numbers, this is about Pakistan's survival and security," the senator told journalists, adding that he often leaves meetings with Fazl "positively" and that Fazl has always supported Pakistan. In response to a question, the senator quipped that while there was a great deal of eagerness and buzz over the 27th Amendment, "they were already preparing for the 28th". He maintained that if consensus required further consultations, meetings could be convened at any time. Regarding the parliamentary arithmetic, he said, "Where numbers are needed, they will be found," and welcomed any participation by Fazl in the process. He described President Asif Ali Zardari as a major political player and praised the "powerful father-son combination" in national politics, referring to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. Regarding the substance of the reforms, Vawda argued that changes to Article 243, which addresses command and control of the armed forces, reflect contemporary security realities beyond conventional battlefields. "Article 243 is not just about ground warfare; it also encompasses cyber, global economic and hybrid threats," he said. He said the amendments would include provisions on postings, transfers and tenures, aimed at strengthening the armed forces for multidimensional threats. Vawda stressed that bolstering Pakistan's three services would improve national defence. Vawda urged that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) be taken into confidence on the amendment. "If PTI pursues constructive politics, it should certainly be involved."

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