Mansoor Ali Shah will be next chief justice of Pakistan: Bilawal Bhutto

KARACHI: Chairman of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, expressed his opinion that Justice Mansoor Ali Shah would be the next Chief Justice of Pakistan, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

In an exclusive conversation with ARY News, Bilawal emphasized that both the current and incoming Chief Justices are highly respected figures.

He criticized the current functioning of the parliament and the slow justice system, recalling that his family waited 50 years for a verdict in the Zulfikar Bhutto murder case.

Bilawal called for caution in making the Supreme Court’s judges controversial and stressed the need for consensus in any constitutional amendments.

“This is not an ordinary constitutional amendment, which is why we want to create a consensus,” he said, adding that amendments made in the past often lost significance or were overturned.

He praised Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s willingness to reduce his own powers and respect the Parliament’s Practice and Procedure Bill.

Bilawal also mentioned that two proposals related to the military trial of civilians were included in recent discussions.

He added that the PPP has opposed military courts since the beginning. He acknowledged suggestions that those involved in attacks on military installations should face trial in military courts, but stated he was ready to reconsider my stance and engage with the government.

Bilawal also mentioned listening to the concerns of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) and agreed that the government should reconsider amending Article 8 of the Constitution at this time.

He reiterated his party’s position, emphasizing that any changes to Article 8 should be postponed.

He called on the government to present evidence related to the May 9 events involving the founder of PTI, ensuring that the matter is handled legally.

“The court’s decision regarding military courts should be followed,” he stated.