Copyright pakistantoday
LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Sunday strongly criticised the proposed lifetime immunity for the president under the 27th Constitutional Amendment, calling it unconstitutional and an assault on the judiciary. In a statement on X, Hafiz Naeem described the proposal as “wrong and shameful” from constitutional, democratic, social, and political perspectives. He warned that granting immunity would effectively allow the president to remain unaccountable to the courts. “From running political parties through inheritance and feudal control to buying and selling parliamentarians, seizing mayorships, and advancing politics via Form 47, the government has long avoided accountability. Now it seeks to extend that to the judiciary,” he said. Hafiz Naeem urged opposition parties to reject the amendment outright. He argued that the details of the 27th Amendment were “horrific” and would weaken the legal system. The JI leader has maintained a consistent stance against both the 26th and 27th amendments. Speaking at a press conference at the JI Karachi headquarters, Idara Noor-e-Haq, he said: “We did not accept the 26th Amendment, and we will not accept the 27th either.” He criticised parties such as PTI and JUI for previously supporting the 26th Amendment, claiming that it served government interests rather than the public or the Constitution. He added that the secrecy surrounding the 27th Amendment draft further undermines transparency in governance. Addressing the District Bar Association in Mardan on Friday, Hafiz Naeem reiterated that Jamaat-e-Islami would not participate in the proposed amendment process. He warned that any political party joining it would be indirectly endorsing a measure that compromises judicial independence. Reports indicate that under the proposed amendment, judges’ opinions in transfer matters could be bypassed, a move Hafiz Naeem said would allow the government to influence judicial decisions. “A society that loses justice cannot achieve peace,” he added, emphasising the importance of safeguarding constitutional guarantees and the independence of the judiciary.
