No deadline for constitutional amendments from PPP: Bilawal Bhutto Zardari

PPP chairman says govt has the option to seek votes based on conscience, yet efforts for consensus are ongoing

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari stated that there is no deadline for constitutional amendments from their side, although the government may face one.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, he stressed that the issue of a timeline for passing the proposed constitutional amendments is not a concern for the PPP. “However, the government may have a deadline,” he noted.

Bilawal highlighted that the government has the option to seek votes based on conscience, yet efforts for consensus are ongoing. “The PPP aims to work collaboratively with all political parties,” he said, expressing a desire to include various factions, including Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), in the discussions.

Regarding the status of constitutional amendments, he mentioned that the JUI-F has not yet provided a draft for the proposed changes. “Once the draft arrives, we will review it and engage in dialogue with JUI-F to determine the way forward,” he stated.

The PPP chairman also commented on recent judicial developments, referencing an order that was issued on a holiday without the Chief Justice’s prior knowledge. He reaffirmed the PPP's commitment to judicial reforms and equal rights for provinces.

Bilawal indicated that there was initial agreement on constitutional courts and judicial reforms from Rehman of JUI-F. However, he noted that the government’s attempts to amend Articles 8 and 51 of the Constitution were met with resistance from both the PPP and JUI-F.

When asked about Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), he remarked that Imran Khan and his party were given multiple opportunities on various issues but exhibited a lack of seriousness. 

“If Imran Khan had made political decisions since April 2022, he would have been the prime minister today,” he asserted, adding that Khan seems more interested in engaging with the establishment than with politicians. “I do not see a bright political future for Imran. We formed a committee for political consensus, but PTI boycotted it as well,” he concluded.