Constitutional court must be established if citizens not satisfied with existing judicial system: Bilawal

ISLAMABAD: After the coalition government’s bid to amend Constitution came to naught, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Thursday said that the establishment of constitutional court was essential “if the people of Pakistan were not satisfied with the current judicial system.”

The former foreign minister stated this while addressing the lawyers’ convention in Islamabad after the coalition government failed to tabled the constitutional amendments in parliament as it lacked two-thirds majority.

The government pushed the proposed constitutional package amid speculation about a potential extension in the tenure of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, who is set to retire in October this year, following the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) request last month for the early issuance of a notification regarding the appointment of the next top judge.

The amendments allegedly include legislation to extend the tenure of CJP Isa as well as the formation of the constitutional court. To pass the constitutional amendments, the government is short of 13 votes in the National Assembly (NA) and nine in the Senate.

Addressing the event today, Bilawal pledged to fulfill the promises made in the Charter of Democracy (COD) signed in 2006, which he said, also includes the establishment of the constitutional court.

“At least 50% of the cases in Supreme Court are constitutional — which consumed 90% of the time,” he regretted, asking why a separate court should no be formed for reducing the backlog of the cases.

He stressed the need for consulting not only the allied parties and lawyers’ community, but also the courts for formation of constitutional court.

“It should be determined, if you all as a common citizen, are satisfied with the existing judicial system,” he said, adding: “[And] if you are not, then a constitutional court must be established.”

Furthermore, the PPP chairman said the proposed amendments presented by the government were "inadequate", suggesting establishment of constitutional court at provincial level also.

Bilawal also emphasised on revising the judicial appointment process, saying: “Parliament has decided that people will decide who will become the judge.”

“In Pakistan, there is a tradition that if you’re someone's relative so you can become a judge,” he claimed, adding that it has “severely damaged” country’s judicial process.

Referring to the former top judges, the PPP chief regretted that former chief justice Iftekhar Chaudhry’s actions were continued sometimes by "some Saqib [Nisar] and some Gulzar [Ahmed].”