ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal-Bhutto Zardari has expressed his belief that Justice Mansoor Ali Shah would be the next chief justice of Pakistan (CJP).
While appearing on separate private television channels, Bilawal said: “Amendments should not be person- or age-specific. Chief Justices Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah are respectable figures; both were part of the bench for Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s case and they should not be made controversial.
“Justice Qazi Faez Isa is the first chief justice who reduced his own powers and agreed to the Practice and Procedures Act, as it was a will of parliament, akin to President Zardari devolving his powers,” he recalled.
Bilawal said political intentions might differ, but his party PPP and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUIF) had bright chances of reaching an agreement on the constitutional amendments. He said the alleged draft of the constitutional amendments was not the real draft. The PPP sought to advance the reforms promised in its manifesto. Moreover, the unconstitutional ruling on Article 63-A had deprived parliamentarians of their right to vote according to their own will. “They cannot cast their vote against party lines and risk disqualification if they do so. This is why it is imperative to achieve a minimum consensus, for which Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s support is crucial,” he added.
He said the draft currently under discussion was temporary and would remain so without the backing of Maulana Fazlur Rehman or other allies.
“Efforts were made to engage the PTI but they were followed by a dangerous and provocative attack on the chief of army staff and chief justice of Pakistan, eroding the space for dialogue,” he said.
Bilawal said without a two-thirds majority in parliament, amendments would not pass.
The PPP chairman said there was no single example of a court constructing a dam, demolishing buildings to recreate a nostalgic vision of their childhood city or setting the prices of fruits and vegetables. “Therefore, there should be no objection to the necessity of judicial reforms for the country,” he said.
Bilawal said the PPP focused more on establishment of a constitutional court, while the government was concerned with age-related changes. “The PPP supported reducing the age limit, to which the government agreed and incorporated it into the draft,” he said, adding that the government proposed setting the CJP’s maximum age at 67 with a three-year term. “The JUI suggested retaining the current age limit of 65. Our party believes that fixing an age limit, whether 65 or 67, could be seen as individual-specific, aimed at keeping someone in or out of the race,” Bilawal explained. He said the PPP’s draft, therefore, made no mention of age, instead proposing term-based limits for constitutional court.
As far as the military trials for civilians are concerned, Bilawal said there were two proposals within the wish list: the PPP has a principled stance regarding military courts and is not in support of them. “However, there have been instances where the PPP has supported such measures,” he said and added that currently, the party was not in a position to support such measures; therefore, the government might not have the majority necessary for a constitutional amendment as far as the military courts are concerned. “As far as attacks on military installations are concerned, we were willing to consider the protections that could be applied,” he said.
The PPP chairman said the government should present details regarding Imran Khan’s role in the May 9 attacks.
Meanwhile, PPP Chairman Bilawal-Bhutto Zardari held a consultative meeting with provincial presidents of the Peoples Lawyer Forum (PLF) and took them into confidence regarding the progress on proposed constitutional amendments.
Meanwhile, PPP Chairman Bilawal-Bhutto Zardari appointed Barrister Murtaza Wahab as his spokesperson with an immediate effect. Notification in this regard was issued from the Chairman’s Secretariat by his Political Secretary Jameel Soomro. Murtaza Wahab is mayor Karachi, and now he would also officiate his duties as spokesperson for Bilawal. After his appointment, Wahab said on social media platform ‘X’, “Honoured to have been appointed as spokesperson for Chairman Bilawal. Insha-Allah will endeavour to live up to the expectations of Bilawal & party leadership in our public & media engagement.”