In a statement on social media, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, the Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), emphasized that the 26th Constitutional Amendment should not be rushed and is long overdue.
Bilawal expressed, “We do not make changes to the constitution hastily, unlike dictators and judges who have done so in the past. Our efforts span generations. It took us 30 years to partially restore the 1973 constitution through the 18th Amendment. Undoing the damage caused by the 19th Amendment and judicial interference has taken us nearly two decades.”
He highlighted the stance of Justice Patel, one of the judges who acquitted Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and opposed his judicial execution, stating that there was insufficient evidence to convict him and questioned the reliability of the witness. Bilawal also noted Justice Patel’s contributions to human rights and his refusal to take an oath under Dictator Zia’s Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) in 1981.
Bilawal emphasized the importance of acknowledging the full historical context of Pakistani politics, beyond specific events or personalities, and reaffirmed the PPP’s dedication to constitutional development and democratic principles.
