Islamabad: Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), presided over a strategic meeting with the Provincial Presidents of the Peoples Lawyers’ Forum (PLF) at Zardari House on Wednesday. The session was focused on advancing proposed constitutional amendments and the establishment of Constitutional Courts, which align with the party’s manifesto and the Charter of Democracy.

According to Pakistan Peoples Party, key figures such as the Central President of PLF Syed Nayyer Hussain Bokhari, National Assembly member Syed Naveed Qamar, and the Political Adviser Jameel Soomro, along with provincial presidents of PLF, were present. The meeting extensively discussed the scope and specifics of the proposed constitutional amendments. Chairman Zardari articulated the PPP’s endorsement for establishing Constitutional Courts, a long-standing party goal.

During the meeting, Chairman Zardari addressed various perspectives on the amendments, especially concerning the judiciary’s age limits, which have been contentious. He pointed out the party’s stance that opposes the extension of age limits for Chief Justice, contrary to the government’s proposal, which was influenced by opposition from the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam. Furthermore, he expressed high regard for Justices Mansoor Ali Shah and Qazi Faez Essa, pivotal figures in the judiciary, hinting at future leadership roles within the judicial framework.

Chairman Zardari also reiterated the PPP’s position against military courts and called for broader parliamentary consensus if the government intends to pursue legislation in this area. He highlighted the party’s concerns over Article 63-A, advocating for MPs’ rights to vote freely, underscoring a need to revert to prior practices where MPs’ votes were counted regardless of party lines.