‘Constitutional package’: Bilawal urges Fazl, others to put their weight behind his effort

KARACHI: In a hard-hitting speech on Friday, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari beseeched the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and opposition to support the much-touted constitutional package, warning otherwise of using the “brute majority” despite earlier saying a consensus was achieved.

However, while addressing a PPP rally in Hyderabad, Bilawal said: “I want to do this [enacting of legislation] with the opposition. I am going to Islamabad and making a last effort to compel the opposition parties to come and vote together, whenever it is held, in an uncontroversial manner for uncontroversial lawmaking.”

Otherwise, he warned that “if the opposition still cannot support us after so many compromises then I will be forced to enact legislation with the PML-N and their extra members through brute majority.

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“So that is why it is necessary for us to form a forum for equal representation. I want to do that with the opposition but if it closes the doors for me, then I will have to walk on the path with our allies that is controversial and not my favoured one that I have always tried to avoid.”

He stressed that the above would be the “controversial” way to pass the amendments and would lead to further political instability in the country while casting controversy on the constitutional bench as well.

However, Bilawal said the PPP had been kept waiting and could wait no more or make more comprises. He said he would present the PPP’s draft in the National Assembly and attempt to convince all other parties on it to pass it.

Otherwise, he vowed that he would get the draft passed through the “government’s two-thirds majority”.

Bilawal said that no matter what it was called, either a bench or a court, the PPP was demanding a federal constitutional court with equal representation.

He said the PPP was striving to ensure that the amendments were passed in a similar manner to the 18th Amendment with consensus, adding that he was engaged in talks for the past two months with Fazl and other parties.

“Now it is a test for political parties. We did whatever was possible of us,” he said, adding that he had accepted many of the demands made and asking what more he could do.

“I want that this legislation is enacted today and immediately but I don’t want to do it alone. I want to do it with Fazl, PML-N and all political parties sitting in parliament. I did whatever was possible of me. I compromised and found the middle path, what more can I do?”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024