The title of kingmaker is not easily earned, yet Maulana Fazlur Rehman has positioned himself in the current political landscape as exactly that, despite being far from the corridors of power. The uncertainty surrounding the constitutional package looks set to continue, as Maulana Fazlur Rehman has outrightly rejected the government’s proposal after their meeting with the PTI. As is often the case, misinformation about the package’s content abounds, making it difficult to discern the truth amidst the secrecy and subterfuge. Meanwhile, the PML-N is likely to reel from this setback, still courting Fazlur Rehman in the hope that his refusal is merely a strategic move to secure further concessions.
However, Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s remarks leave little room for optimism. His assertion that passing such a bill would be a “betrayal of the country and the nation’s trust” suggests that supporting a future draft of this nature would position him as a traitor to the people. Each passing day worsens the PML-N’s position in this saga, which has dragged on far too long.
The government’s decision to withhold the contents of the constitutional package, seeking votes before tabling the proposal, has drawn harsh criticism from the opposition and now from Maulana Fazlur Rehman. The fact that no one has seen or debated the bill’s actual content creates terrible optics for the ruling party. How this rejection, assuming it holds, will affect the government’s future relations with Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s party remains to be seen.
Will this sour relations beyond repair, or will the PML-N find a way to turn this no into a yes and push through the revolutionary constitutional amendment it seeks? In the meantime, the political circus continues, with the judiciary, parliament, armed forces, and executive all entangled in a web of controversy that the government must urgently address.
