The federal government is facing delays in passing key legislation due to the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F)'s indecision over joining the coalition government.
The JUI-F’s support in parliament is crucial for the government to secure the necessary number of votes for a constitutional amendment, but there is no decisive progress as JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has yet to make a final decision.
According to sources, the government is eager to bring a constitutional amendment bill to the Senate after it completes the number game, but had to postpone the plan to do so on Tuesday due to the unresolved issue with JUI-F. The postponement occurred after the government assessed that they would fall short in the numbers game without the JUI-F’s backing.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is reportedly awaiting a final response from Maulana Fazlur Rehman on an offer extended to the JUI-F to join the government. The offer includes the governorship of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, four federal ministries, and a share in the Balochistan government.
Initially, the JUI-F was also offered the position of deputy chairman of the Senate, but their apparent lack of interest in this role prompted the government to offer the governorship of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa instead.
On the other hand, President Asif Ali Zardari and Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain are also actively working to secure Maulana Fazlur Rehman's cooperation. Despite these efforts, the JUI-F leader has neither accepted nor rejected the offer, and is consulting with party leaders on the government's offer before making a final decision.
In an effort to ensure the presence of government members in the Senate and secure the necessary support for the amendment, the government has also postponed a planned foreign visit by a parliamentary delegation.
