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Bilawal Bhutto lauds role of lawyers in upholding sanctity of law & Constitution in country

ISLAMABAD, Sep 19 (SABAH): Chairman Pakistan People’s Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has lauded the role of lawyers in upholding the sanctity of law and Constitution in the country.

Addressing Peoples’ Lawyer Forum in Islamabad on Thursday, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the lawyers have always stood by civil society and democratic forces in movements for restoration of Constitution during the dictatorial rules.

Talking about recent proposed judicial reforms, Bilawal Bhutto said that a separate Constitutional Court will also be very helpful in reducing the backlog of cases in Supreme Court, allowing it to concentrate more effectively on delivering timely justice in other matters.

Bilawal stressed the need for a constitutional court to reform the judicial system. He highlighted judicial reforms had been a longstanding demand of the PPP. He praised lawyers for resisting the dictatorship, recalling their role in defeating Musarraf’s regime.

He noted that his mother, Banazir Bhutto, warned against the politicisation of the judiciary as it would harm the public interests. He stressed that the constitutional court should focus on interpreting that the system of appointments in judiciary was formalised by the 18th Amendment.

Bilawal criticised the lack of transparency in judges’ appointments and called for reforms in the process. He reaffirmed his commitment to fulfilling the promises made in the Chartered of Democracy, ensuring swift and fair justice for the public. He urged the lawyers to prepare for continued struggle for judicial reforms.

Benazir Bhutto had said at that time that there should be constitutional courts in the country, he said and added that there should be improvement in the judicial system, the establishment of constitutional courts is necessary. He said that at the provincial level, high court judges can go ahead and form a separate court after consulting lawyers.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that when Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif was in government, 58-2(b) which was taken back by the Pakistan People’s Party from the President, first went to Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, he used it against Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, then it went to Asif Saeed Khan Khosa and he used it against Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sahib. He said that Benazir Bhutto had to wait 50 years for securing justice for her father.