KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari announced on Tuesday that Justice Mansoor Ali Shah will become the next Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) on October 26, despite the government’s postponement of a controversial constitutional package in Parliament.
Speaking to a private news channel, Bilawal expressed confidence in Justice Mansoor’s appointment, even as the government failed to table amendments due to a lack of support from JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. The amendments, reportedly aimed at extending the tenure of current CJP Qazi Faez Isa and increasing judges’ retirement age, were stalled indefinitely after negotiations with Rehman proved unsuccessful.
Bilawal lamented that neither Parliament nor the judiciary were functioning effectively, highlighting the long wait for justice in Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s case. He called for judicial reforms and noted that 15% of the Supreme Court’s workload, primarily political cases, was consuming 90% of its time.
The PPP chairman also emphasized the need for reforms under the Charter of Democracy, including the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and revisions to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and judiciary. He further expressed disappointment over Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan’s recent statements, which hindered engagement on constitutional reforms.
Bilawal acknowledged the government’s lack of numbers in Parliament and mentioned the PPP’s efforts to draft a proposal for a constitutional court, which would be shared with Maulana Fazlur Rehman. He added that JUI-F is also preparing its own draft, with the goal of reaching consensus on a joint package, while Rehman insisted on involving opposition parties, particularly PTI, in the discussions.
