News Desk:
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has announced that the party will support the proposed amendment to Article 243, which defines the powers of the armed forces, under the 27th Constitutional Amendment.
Speaking to the media after the conclusion of the Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting, Bilawal said the committee held two days of detailed discussions on the establishment of constitutional courts, adding that the party “agrees in principle with the idea that such courts should be formed.”
“In the 27th Amendment, the amendment to Article 243 must be accepted,” Bilawal emphasized.
The PPP Chairman said that “unfinished agenda items” from the Charter of Democracy (CoD) were also discussed during the CEC meeting.
“We will engage with the government and see which other points we can reach a consensus on. If a consensus can be achieved on the pending points of the Charter of Democracy, it would be a welcome step,” he added.
Bilawal stated that the PPP has also provided recommendations to the government regarding the transfer of judges, as outlined in the 27th Amendment.
“The government’s proposal suggests eliminating consultation with the president and granting the power of transfer to the parliamentary committee,” he said.
“However, PPP believes that it would be more appropriate if the president initiates the transfer, and if the judicial commission is to play a role, that would also be acceptable. It’s a forum where serious debate can take place, with the presence of chief justices and senior members of the judiciary.”
On the issue of dual nationality, Bilawal said he was “not in a position to vote on this right now,” indicating internal division within the party on the matter.
Bilawal summarized that there are three major points in the proposed constitutional amendment that the PPP is inclined to support:
The amendment to Article 243;
The formation of constitutional courts; and
The transfer of judges, provided that both the incoming and outgoing chief justices are members of the commission.
Earlier, reports indicated internal differences within the PPP regarding the 27th Constitutional Amendment, but the party signaled conditional support for changes to Article 243, which governs federal control of the armed forces.
Announcing the decisions of the CEC meeting at Bilawal House late Thursday night, Bilawal said that discussions on the government’s proposed constitutional amendments would continue on Friday, stressing that the PPP “can never compromise on the financial rights of the provinces.”
According to party insiders, Friday’s session began after Jumma prayers and continued for several hours. They said that except for the proposed changes to Article 243, the party has not agreed on any other constitutional proposals so far.
