Mardan: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has warned that proposed constitutional changes under the 27th Amendment are aimed at consolidating the influence of the ruling elite at the expense of the public. He urged the opposition not to enter negotiations over the amendment, saying doing so would amount to endorsing policies that undermine judicial independence and public welfare.Speaking at the launch of the Bano Qabil educational program in Swat - where thousands of students took entry tests for free IT training courses funded by Alkhidmat Foundation - Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said Pakistan's youth had been systematically deprived of educational opportunities. 'For years, the ruling classes have treated education as a privilege instead of a right,' he said. 'The young people of this country do not need another constitutional drama - they need access to quality learning and a fair chance at a future.'He noted that despite 12 years of uninterrupted governance by the same political party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, nearly five million children remain out of school in the province. He said that a significant portion of the education budget of provinces is lost annually to corruption and mismanagement.Earlier in the day, addressing the Mardan District Bar Association, the JI chief warned lawyers that the proposed 27th Amendment could further erode judicial autonomy. 'If a Parliament elected through disputed processes now moves to alter the Constitution or interfere with the courts, the legal community has a responsibility to resist,' he said.He said that early indications suggest the amendment may revise the mechanism for judicial transfers and appointments, potentially allowing the executive to influence judicial outcomes.Hafiz Naeemur Rehman also criticized Pakistan's political landscape for what he termed 'dynastic control and internal authoritarianism,' arguing that democracy cannot take root nationally if political parties themselves remain undemocratic.He reaffirmed JI's commitment to acquiring political power through public mandate rather than backroom arrangements, saying the party aims to build grassroots support by expanding education and welfare projects. 'One percent of the population continues to govern the remaining ninety-nine percent,' he said. 'This imbalance will not change unless the youth organize, speak, and demand their rights.'