PPP moving for constitutional court with all on board, Sherry Rehman

Liaquat Ali

Islamabad: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Vice President, Senator Sherry Rehman, held consultations today with Chaudhry Salik Hussain, leader of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q), and Senator Hidayatullah of Awami National Party (ANP), as part of a broader outreach on the establishment of a Federal Constitutional Court.

Accompanying Senator Rehman in these important meetings were senior PPP leaders Syed Nayyar Hussain Bokhari and Senator Shahadat Awan. “The consultation, which took place under the guidance of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, mark a crucial step in the PPP’s efforts to establish a Federal Constitutional Court that includes provincial representation, ensuring that the judicial system remains fair and equitable,” said Senator Sherry Rehman.

Speaking to the media after the meetings, Senator Sherry Rehman stated, “Today, we had constructive consultations with our coalition partners, ANP and PML-Q. The Parliament, as the creator of the Constitution, and it must assert its rightful role. Our goal is to establish the Federal Constitutional Court in line with the 2006 Charter of Democracy, as envisioned by Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.”

Sherry Rehman said, “The backlog of cases in the courts has caused undue delays in justice, and it is crucial that we take steps to address this. Globally, over 50 countries currently have functioning constitutional courts. The backlog of cases is alarming, with 60,000 cases pending in the Supreme Court and more than 2.2 million cases across the country. Channeling constitutional and political cases to such a court would save the higher judiciary valuable time resolve public cases. The establishment of the Federal Constitutional Court would also help avoid concerns about the judiciary’s involvement in politics.”

“We want provinces to have representation in the Federal Constitutional Court, and we are striving for consensus on this matter. We are working to ensure that this constitutional amendment is person specific. Our consultations are not limited to political parties, as we are also engaging with lawyers’ community and civil society to widen the circle of partnership. We want these amendments to be based on consensus from all stakeholders”, Sherry Rehman said.

“On the directive of Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, we are moving forward with everyone on board. There should be no impression that any bill will be passed through secretive or underhanded means, this is not our way. The PPP remains open to consultation with all stakeholders on this matter,” Vice President PPP concluded.