Khatm-e-Nabuwat clause: Though PTI found guilty, Imran again hits PML-N

ISLAMABAD: PTI chief Imran Khan concluded his election campaign Monday night in Lahore once again levelling allegation of Khatm-e-Nabuwat amendment against his opponents though Raja Zafar-ul-Haq Committee after thorough investigations has declared the PTI foiled attempt of Senator Hafiz Hamdullah to undo the controversial amendment.

Raja Zafar-ul-Haq Report also clearly pointed out as to who conceived the idea and who initiated this move of amending the Khatm-e-Nabuwat clause. A PTI leader was part of the committee which initiated the draft of this controversial amendment and later when PMLN supported undoing this controversial clause by supporting Hafiz Hamdullah amendment in Senate, PTI openly opposed it and consequently Hamdullah’s move failed and controversial amendment became a law.

Late Monday night, while addressing an election rally in Lahore PTI chief Imran Khan said that Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto despite being a liberal man introduced Khatm-e-Nabuwat oath in the law. Imran said that under an international conspiracy, PML-N government removed this oath. He said PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif was responsible for getting this oath removed.

However facts speak otherwise. The Senate record and Raja Zafar-ul-Haq Committee Report discloses how the amendment was initiated and by whom. Raja Zafar-ul-Haq Committee held that PTI openly opposed JUI-F’s Hafiz Hamdullah’s move to bring the old oath of Khatm-e-Nabuwat back and because of this opposition, PML-N efforts failed and it became a law.

The relevant part of Raja Zafar-ul-Haq Committee Report reads, ““(o) It was not till the Bill was taken for consideration in the Senate on September 22, 2017, that Senator Maulana Hafiz Hamdullah of JUI(F) moved an amendment inter-alia in Clause 110 relating to the declaration for restoration of the expressions “on oath” and “solemnly swear”.

(p) Leader of the House in the Senate, Senator Raja Zafar-ul-Haq supported the amendment moved by Senator Hafiq Hamdullah. However, it was defeated by vote 34–13, when put to vote as opposition members from PPP and PTI opposed it,” reads the Raja Zafar-ul-Haq Committee Report.”

According to Senate record, the para-7 of Minutes of the 89th Meeting of the sub-committee of the Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reforms reads, “Form XXIII (RETURN OF ELECTION EXPENSES) Form XXIIIA (AFFIDAVIT TO BE SWORN BY A CANDIDATE) and FORM XXVII (STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS IN RESPECT OF POLITICAL PARTIES): The sub-committee decided that xxxxx, xxxxx and xxxxx MNAs may redraft Forms XXIII, XXIIIA and XXVII. The redrafted forms may be submitted in the next meeting of the committee. (Names of MNAs removed for security reasons).

It is unknown as to why PTI chief Imran Khan is raising this issue repeatedly despite the fact that his party’s role is very clear in bringing and then defending this controversial clause.