Bilawal predicts political future of PTI founder

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the political future of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan ‘looks bleak’, ARY News reported.

Talking to journalists, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that Imran Khan would have be the Prime Minister today had he made the right political decisions since April 2022.

The PPP chairman accused Imran Khan of still preferring to engage with the establishment rather than politicians.

Regarding the proposed constitutional amendments, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said, “We do not have a problem with the timeline, and I think they (constitutional amendments) will be passed by October 25.”

He said that the PPP wants to work with all political parties, including Maulana Fazlur Rehman-led Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F).

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that his party wants judicial reforms and equal rights for all provinces. “Maulana Fazlur Rehman agreed to constitutional courts and reforms. The government wanted to amend Article 8 and 51 of the constitution, but the PPP and JUI-F rejected the same,” he added.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that that a committee was formed for political consensus but PTI boycotted it too. The PPP chairman was of the view that appointments in the judiciary should be made with proportional representation.

Earlier addressing the Balochistan High Court Bar Association, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari urged lawyers to acknowledge constitutional courts as ‘mandate’ by the constitution, stating, “If you don’t accept the constitutional courts, you should leave the practice.”

“After the struggle of 30 years, we have decided to form a constitutional court,” he said, adding his struggle for the constitutional amendment was not for the current chief justice, Qazi Faez Isa. “Your agenda could be a person-specific, not mine,” he added.

The PPP leader highlighted that Article 63(A) was drafted by his party, and they understand its implications better than anyone. He clarified that the purpose of the article was to curb horse-trading, not to enslave parliamentary members.