KARACHI: Central Chief of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Thursday said the ruling parties are “afraid” of democracy, both in their internal structures and in their conduct within the assemblies, calling for abolishment of the 26th and 27th constitutional amendments.
Speaking at the “Meet the Press” event hosted by the Karachi Press Club, he said the 26th and 27th Constitutional Amendments have exposed forces that hold the Constitution and democracy hostage. “Both amendments are bound to be abolished,” he stated, adding that they empower those seeking greater control and privileges.
Hafiz Naeem declared the 27th Amendment unconstitutional and un-Islamic, saying JI fully rejects it. “The exemption granted to the Field Marshal and the President is unjustified,” he said. “Even the Prophet (PBUH), the Rightly Guided Caliphs, and the Companions (RA) held themselves accountable before the public and the courts. The influential elite must reject the immunity granted under this amendment.”
He said that political dynasties have long distorted the Constitution. “Be it Mr. or Maulana — they are all the same,” he remarked. Criticizing the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), he accused it of trying to shield a few individuals from judicial scrutiny. “It’s ironic that the grandson of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto now advocates undemocratic and unconditional amendments in the 1973 Constitution,” he said.
According to Hafiz Naeem, a truly independent judiciary would nullify such amendments. He said the 27th Amendment had given the government majority control while reducing the judiciary to a minority, allowing arbitrary transfer of judges. “When all routes to justice are blocked, people’s hands eventually reach the rulers’ necks,” he warned.
He also accused the PPP of stealing JI’s mandate in Karachi’s local elections. “We won 192 UC chairmanships, while PPP had 172, yet they seized Karachi’s mandate,” he said, adding that PPP continues horse-trading from Karachi to Kashmir and withholds powers and funds from local bodies despite constitutional guarantees.
Hafiz Naeem urged the Sindh government to explain why Karachi is denied its rightful share of the NFC Award while the same government claims to protect devolution under the 18th Amendment.
On Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, he said Afghan soil must not be used for terrorism and stressed the need for responsible diplomacy. “Wars never bring peace,” he said, adding that JI is willing to play a role in promoting regional stability if the government is sincere.
He warned Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif against what he called an “antidemocratic approach,” saying: “A time may come when neither you nor your cabinet will even have access to a helicopter.” Referring to political shifts in Bangladesh, he said, “The world is changing — Generation Z is driving revolutions.”
Turning to education, Hafiz Naeem said that despite a Rs613 billion education budget, Sindh’s schools remain in disrepair. “Eight out of nine children fail to reach higher education, and over 20 million between ages 5 and 16 are out of school,” he said.
He invited journalists to JI’s upcoming Ijtema-e-Aam (mass congregation) at Minar-e-Pakistan, Lahore, from November 21 to 23. “This is no longer about left or right — it’s about right and wrong. Our call is to change the system,” he said, describing the event as a turning point for national reform.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025