ISLAMABAD: After a series of meetings with Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari announced on Saturday that his party and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) chief have achieved a complete consensus on the proposed constitutional amendment.
Bilawal’s statement comes as he makes a final effort to build an agreement on the judicial package among all political parties, including the PTI.
Speaking at a public gathering in Hyderabad the previous night, the PPP chairman warned that he might be forced to pursue a “controversial path” for the passage of the 26th constitutional amendment if opposition parties decline to support his push for consensus on the judicial package.
PPP lawmaker Syed Khursheed Shah noted on Friday that a special parliamentary committee, consisting of both government and opposition members, had “unanimously approved” the draft for the 26th constitutional amendment.
Following his recent meeting with Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Bilawal expressed that he remains in constant contact with the JUI-F leader regarding the constitutional amendment. “We have reached a consensus on legislation for judicial reforms,” he stated.
Bilawal encouraged Maulana Fazl to present the 26th constitutional amendment bill in parliament, noting that “the draft aligns with Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s wishes.”
When asked about the PTI’s involvement, Bilawal expressed hope that the JUI-F could persuade the PTI to support the constitutional amendment bill. “PTI should demonstrate that it is a political party,” he added.
He emphasized that the PTI should have pursued judicial reforms during its own tenure and suggested that the government should refrain from introducing the constitutional amendment bill in parliament.
Bilawal confirmed that both the PPP and JUI-F have agreed on constitutional reforms, with the joint draft authored by Maulana Fazlur Rehman. He also commended the PML-N-led federal government for its patience on the issue.
JUI-F spokesperson Aslam Ghauri corroborated that both parties have agreed on a joint draft of the constitutional package and praised Bilawal’s efforts. He added, “We are awaiting a PTI delegation to discuss the draft,” expressing optimism that all political forces, including the PML-N and PTI, would soon reach an agreement on judicial reforms.
Overview of the Constitutional Amendments
According to the draft, which has been approved by the parliamentary body and obtained by Geo News, the commission for appointing Supreme Court judges will include the Chief Justice, the four most senior judges of the Supreme Court, the federal law minister, the attorney-general for Pakistan, an advocate nominated by the Pakistan Bar Council, and two members from both the Senate and National Assembly.
The draft states that “the question of whether any, and if so what, advice was given to the president by the cabinet or the prime minister shall not be inquired into by any court, tribunal, or other authority.”
Additionally, the constitutional benches may consist of an equal number of judges from each province. The Chief Justice will retire after a three-year term, regardless of age.
The amendment also proposes restructuring the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) by modifying Article 209 of the Constitution to include the Chief Justice, the two next most senior judges of the Supreme Court, and the two most senior Chief Justices of the High Courts.
