Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari emphasized on Monday that his party is working to build consensus on the proposed constitutional amendments, while firmly stating that the PPP will not yield to external pressure on the judicial reforms package. Speaking at a Peoples Lawyers Forum event in Quetta, Bilawal clarified that the PPP will continue its efforts despite being urged to withdraw the proposed constitutional changes or even reconsider the 18th Amendment.
Bilawal highlighted the success of the 18th Amendment, which included renaming the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and stressed the importance of further judicial reforms. He criticized the existing mechanism of judicial appointments, stating that it favors judges rather than serving the nation. To address this, he proposed the creation of a parliamentary committee—comprising members from both the government and the opposition—to oversee judges’ appointments. He also suggested that a judge should not be appointed unless they secure a majority vote in this committee.
The PPP chairman called for the establishment of a constitutional court with equal representation from all provinces, a step he deemed necessary to rectify shortcomings in the judicial system. He further proposed the creation of provincial constitutional courts to ensure timely justice at the provincial level, though consensus on this mechanism is still in progress.
Bilawal reaffirmed that judicial reforms were a key component of the Charter of Democracy, signed between Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto in 2006, and pledged to prepare a draft of reforms that aligns with the PPP’s manifesto and Benazir Bhutto’s vision.
He also addressed the challenges faced in securing the necessary votes for passing the constitutional amendments. Despite the government’s efforts, including discussions with Maulana Fazlur Rehman and his party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), the ruling coalition still falls short by 13 votes in the National Assembly and 9 votes in the Senate to push through the amendments.
Bilawal criticized the ongoing judicial activism, arguing that judges should not have exclusive control over the appointment process and that a more balanced system—featuring input from the judiciary, government, opposition, and bar associations—is needed.
