Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday said he expects a proposed constitutional amendment package, primarily concerning judicial reforms, to be passed by Parliament by Oct. 25, the date of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa’s retirement.
In an informal interaction with journalists in Islamabad, he regretted that the incumbent government had “mishandled” the proposed amendments, causing delays to its passage through Parliament. However, he stressed, the PPP was under no deadline and would continue working on the judicial package until it passed.
“There is no deadline from our side for the constitutional amendment,” he said, while acknowledging the government would prefer it to be passed before Oct. 25. He said he believed the amendments should not be tabled until both JUIF chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and BNP-M chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal approved it. To a question, he explained his party was informed the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl) supported the package when it was due to be tabled last month, but was later told Maulana Fazlur Rehman was not convinced.
The JUIF has emerged as the powerbroker in the clash over the proposed package, with the party’s lawmakers in the Senate considered key to its passage. However, Fazl has repeatedly asserted that he would only proceed once consensus has been achieved on its contents.
According to Bilawal, the government has the option to secure the numbers required for a constitutional amendment through “conscience voting,” but he stressed that efforts were underway to secure a consensus. The path to the “conscience” vote has become clear following a Supreme Court nullification of an earlier apex court ruling that had barred the counting of votes of lawmakers cast against party discipline.
“We want judicial reforms and equal rights of provinces,” said Bilawal, noting the JUIF agreed with the government on the formation of a constitutional courts and judicial reforms. “The government wanted to amend Articles 8 and 51 [of the Constitution] but PPP and JUIF opposed [the proposal],” he said, referring to articles pertaining to fundamental rights and the composition of the National Assembly, respectively.
To another question on securing support of the PTI, the former foreign minister said they had provided every opportunity to the opposition party to work with the government, but had not received any favorable response. “Instead of politicians, the PTI-founder still wants talks with the establishment,” he added.