Hafiz Naeem terms 27th Amend threat to judicial independence

MARDAN/MINGORA: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman on Friday said the proposed 27th Constitutional Amendment was an attempt to undermine judicial independence.

“There is no need to amend the Constitution; what is needed is its complete implementation,” he said while addressing the District Bar Association in Mardan.Hafiz Naeem claimed that through the 27th Amendment, the government aimed to appoint judges of its choice. “To crush justice and the Constitution, selected individuals have been brought into Parliament,” he remarked.

He said the 26th Amendment had already violated the spirit of the Constitution, and the proposed 27th Amendment was another move to weaken judicial autonomy. The JI chief urged lawyers across the country to launch a strong campaign against the proposed legislation.

He lamented that no one was satisfied with the current judicial system, saying the people of Pakistan had been deprived of justice even after 78 years of independence.Hafiz Naeem said democracy within political parties could only flourish through internal elections, adding that hereditary politics was the biggest obstacle to genuine democratic growth.

He also criticized Parliament, saying it only showed unity when it came to granting extensions and privileges to the army chief, but not when addressing public issues.Meanwhile, speaking at a gathering in Swat, Hafiz Naeem said Pakistan’s most urgent need was education, not constitutional amendments.

Addressing the “Bano Qabil” event in Kabal town, he accused both the federal and provincial governments of neglecting the education sector.He said that during the 26th Amendment, political and religious leaders had united only for their vested interests, which led to the subjugation of the judiciary. “Now, as the 27th Amendment is being discussed, the same political maneuvering has started again, and its outcome will once again be the exploitation of the people,” he feared.

The JI chief lamented that the youth had been deliberately deprived of education and opportunities by successive governments. “In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the same party has ruled for the last 12 years, yet five million children remain out of school,” he said, demanding accountability from the provincial government.

He alleged that a huge portion of the education budget was lost to corruption and mismanagement. “The ruling elite has turned education into a business rather than a basic right,” he added.Urging young people to rise and demand their rights, Hafiz Naeem said, “The new generation must unite against corrupt rulers and reclaim their future.”