Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has revealed that the presence of Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa gave the opportunity to bring the 26th constitutional amendment.
While giving an interview to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that ‘the thing that was given the most political color in the 26th constitutional amendment and tried to make the whole process controversial on the basis of it. It was a matter of military courts.
In response to a question about former Prime Minister Imran Khan, he said that if the trend of political revenge is to be ended in the country, the first step will have to be taken by the man who is sitting in jail.
He said that the most politicized use of the term military court in relation to the 26th constitutional amendment was given to those who were involved in the process of drafting the amendment, or who analyzed it in the media. They tried to make this whole process controversial, they connected the matter of black snake with military courts and they tried to make this whole process controversial in the name of black snake.
He said that on May 9, some persons attacked the Corps Commander’s House and military installations and the government decided to try them under the interpretation of the Army Act and Article 8 of the Constitution. Meanwhile, the court issued a ruling that changed the existing law since 1950. As a result of the court’s interpretation of the constitution, there were obstacles in the implementation of the government’s decision (trial in military courts).
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that “the court did that where ‘armed forces personnel’ was written in Article 8, it held this point and said that it means only ‘armed forces personnel’ and this law Under (military courts) only they can be tried, some believed that the court gave this decision to benefit a political party’.
He said that ‘Our proposal was small which was made very controversial, the proposal was that where ‘Members of the Armed Forces’ is written it should be changed to ‘Armed Forces’. It was the government’s desire that it should have retrospective effect and include the armed forces as well as military installations, military outposts. But we also objected to the checkpoints and so did Maulana Fazlur Rehman. If there was a consensus, we were going to amend only one word in Article 8, and that one word was changed to black snake and an attempt was made to make the whole process controversial in the name of black snake.’
It should be noted that Maulana Fazlur Rehman, while talking to the media along with Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Barrister Gohar after the approval of the constitutional amendment by the Senate, had said that ‘We have broken the teeth of the black snake and removed its poison.’
Besides, he said about Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa that ‘We had a Chief Justice, who could withstand the pressure of his fellow judges, who might have tried to provoke him that it is not your case but the power of the judges. The question is We had a chance when we had someone who wouldn’t undermine our efforts.’
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, in response to a question asked in this regard, said that he had the numbers, without Maulana Fazlur Rehman, without the involvement of the opposition, (we) could have brought the constitution (amendment) of our choice. But I was sure that whatever happens, Maulana Fazlur Rahman Sahib and I will have to agree. Even if a political or other stakeholder says, let’s fulfill your (talking) passion.’
“I was agreeing for some reasons, and the reason I was agreeing was this constitution,” he said. Even today there are two other political parties in Parliament for whom this Constitution is as sacred as it is for us. One of them is JUI and the other is ANP.
PPP draft related to constitutional amendments, Bilawal asked for suggestions from the public
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**Interview with Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on the 26th Constitutional Amendment**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us today, Mr. Bhutto. Let’s start with your recent statement regarding the 26th constitutional amendment. You mentioned that Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa’s presence was pivotal. Can you elaborate on that?
**Bilawal Bhutto Zardari:** Thank you for having me. Chief Justice Isa’s presence allowed us to navigate a challenging process. The 26th constitutional amendment was highly contentious, primarily due to the political interpretations surrounding military courts. It was crucial to have such judicial oversight as we moved forward with the amendment.
**Interviewer:** You also spoke about how the military courts became a focal point of controversy. What do you think led to this politicization?
**Bilawal Bhutto Zardari:** The matter became politicized largely due to various media analyses and partisan discussions. Some parties tried to connect military courts with broader concerns in the country—specifically, references to the so-called “black snake.” This inadvertently fueled controversies around the amendment itself.
**Interviewer:** You mentioned former Prime Minister Imran Khan in your interview. What steps do you think he should take to ease the political tensions in the country?
**Bilawal Bhutto Zardari:** If we genuinely wish to end the cycle of political revenge, it is imperative that Mr. Khan takes the first step. As a former prime minister and current prisoner, he has a significant role in shaping the political landscape.
**Interviewer:** Regarding the challenges presented by the courts in implementing military trials, can you explain what changes you proposed to Article 8?
**Bilawal Bhutto Zardari:** Our approach was straightforward—we wanted to amend the language in Article 8 from ‘Members of the Armed Forces’ to simply ‘Armed Forces.’ This would have broadened the scope to include military installations, but the proposal got entangled in controversies that were amplified through political rhetoric.
**Interviewer:** Lastly, do you believe consensus on this issue within the political spectrum is possible?
**Bilawal Bhutto Zardari:** There is always room for dialogue and consensus. While we faced objections, particularly from Maulana Fazlur Rehman regarding the details, I believe if we focus on constructive dialogue rather than rhetoric, we can arrive at an amendable resolution that serves the best interest of our country.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Mr. Bhutto, for your insights. We appreciate your time and thoughts on this significant constitutional matter.
**Bilawal Bhutto Zardari:** Thank you for having me. It’s vital we continue these discussions for the future of our democracy.
Ter, he holds significant influence in shaping the narrative, and his actions can be pivotal in promoting unity and reconciliation among political factions.
**Interviewer:** You spoke about the judiciary’s role and the decision regarding military courts. Can you clarify the recent court ruling and its implications for the amendment?
**Bilawal Bhutto Zardari:** Absolutely. The court’s interpretation essentially restricted military court trials to ‘armed forces personnel’ as per Article 8, which obstructed our government’s decision to try certain individuals under military jurisdiction following the events of May 9. This limitation sparked allegations that the judiciary was acting to benefit specific political interests, complicating the amendment process.
**Interviewer:** It seems the amendment process faced substantial challenges. What was your intended objective, and how did it become such a contentious issue?
**Bilawal Bhutto Zardari:** Our chief objective was deceptively simple: to amend just one word in Article 8 to clarify the scope of military court jurisdiction. However, this small adjustment was manipulated into a larger debate, engulfed in controversy surrounding the so-called “black snake,” which in turn polarized the political landscape.
**Interviewer:** You expressed hope for consensus during the parliamentary discussions. Can you elaborate on the importance of such political unity?
**Bilawal Bhutto Zardari:** Indeed, political unity is crucial for constitutional amendments, as it reflects a collective commitment to democratic values. Our dialogue with parties like JUI and ANP is pivotal, as it underpins the broader objective of strengthening our constitution—not just for our party but for the nation as a whole.
**Interviewer:** Thank you for sharing your insights, Mr. Bhutto. It’s clear that the path forward involves both legislative and political collaboration.
**Bilawal Bhutto Zardari:** Thank you for having me. Let’s hope for a constructive dialogue that paves the way for a stable political future in Pakistan.
