PPP throws spanner in military court works

A stalemate over amendments related to military courts and reserved seats has thrown the fate of the 26th Constitution Amendment Bill into deep uncertainty, with fears that it could be kicked further down the road.

Following the opposition's resistance, the ruling coalition's key ally, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), has also raised the red flag over the proposed amendments, urging the government to slow down and avoid setting unrealistic deadlines.

The opposition has stirred concerns that the amendment will be further postponed, likely beyond October 25.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari openly rejected the government's proposed changes to Article 8, concerning military courts, and Article 51, regarding reserved seats.

Bilawal Bhutto, in an informal media conversation at Zardari House, criticised the government for setting unrealistic deadlines for passing the constitutional amendments.

"The issue of deadlines is the government's problem, not ours," he stated, urging the government to avoid rushing the process. He also stressed the importance of consensus, adding that while the PPP supports judicial reforms, it cannot agree to hasty decisions on military courts and reserved seats.

Bilawal further pointed out that the creation of constitutional courts should include equal representation for provinces, which would ensure faster justice for the public. He noted that while this issue might not be resolved immediately, he is confident it will be addressed in the future.

He also called for a transparent process in judicial appointments, stressing that it should involve representation from the judiciary, parliament, and the legal fraternity.

"It doesn't matter which chief justice is in office, but we don't want another Iftikhar Chaudhry-style approach," he added.

Lashing out at PTI founding chairman Imran Khan, Bilawal said that if Imran had made political decisions after April 2022, he might have been prime minister again. "Even today, he prefers talking to the establishment instead of politicians," Bilawal added.