Islamabad, October 24, 2024 – Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has credited outgoing Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa for enabling the passage of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, stating that it would not have been possible under any other chief justice.
In an interview with a British media outlet, Bilawal defended the timing of the legislation, which critics argue was introduced at a “questionable time” and targeted specific individuals. Addressing these concerns, Bilawal explained, “In Pakistan’s judicial history, there’s only one man who has shown a willingness to prioritize parliamentary authority, even at the expense of his personal power.”
The PPP leader, who previously served as foreign minister during Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) tenure, highlighted that the ruling alliance had a unique opportunity while CJP Isa was in office, which they utilized. He noted, “We had a window of opportunity, especially given how other judges have shaped the Constitution, such as in cases involving Article 63-A and the reserved seats, to serve their own interests.”
He further praised CJP Isa, stating, “We had a chief justice who could resist pressure from other judges who might have attempted to influence him, not for personal reasons, but to protect judicial power.”
When asked if the amendment would have passed had Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, the senior-most judge, been the CJP instead of Isa, Bilawal was skeptical. He remarked that decisions such as the one on reserved seats were “orchestrated” to weaken parliamentary strength, and the Article 63-A ruling was not grounded in the Constitution. Bilawal concluded by emphasizing that, had those decisions been implemented, passing judicial reforms would have been even more challenging, regardless of who held the position of chief justice.
