Ruling coalition ally proposes ‘equal role’ of Pakistan parliament, judiciary in judges’ appointment

ISLAMABAD: A key ally of the ruling coalition government this week proposed granting an “equal role” to the country’s parliament, judiciary and legal fraternity in appointing judges, as political parties continue consultations on a controversial constitutional amendments package that has earned the opposition of both the opposition and the legal fraternity. 
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s ruling coalition government has been trying to pass a set of constitutional amendments since last month that the country’s opposition and prominent lawyers say is aimed at granting more power to the executive in making judicial appointments. The government denies the allegations and says the amendments aim to provide speedy justice to thousands of litigants and ensure the parliament’s supremacy remains intact.
The proposed amendments are expected to establish a federal constitutional court, raise the retirement age of superior judges by three years, and modify the process for the appointment of chief justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Sharif’s key coalition ally, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has been spearheading negotiations with political parties and the legal fraternity after the government failed to muster the required two-thirds majority in parliament last month to get the amendments passed. Sharing a draft of the proposed amendments on Saturday, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said the party wanted to end the process of appointment of the judges by and for the judges.
“Instead, by merging the judicial and parliamentary committees we give an equal role to Parliament, Judiciary and legal fraternity,” the PPP chairman wrote on social media platform X.

Bhutto-Zardari said his party also proposed the creation of a Federal Constitutional Court which would have equal representation of all federating units. 
“The court would address all issues pertaining to fundamental rights, constitutional interpretation and federal/inter-provincial disputes,” the PPP chairman said. 
Pakistani lawyers last month threatened they would take to the streets if the government passed the amendments, saying that they would oppose any move to establish a “parallel” judicial system in the country. 
The PPP leader invited “legitimate meaningful feedback” from the public on the PPP’s proposed amendments. 
“The PPP has already been reaching out separately to political parties, Bar associations and civil society as part of our broader countrywide engagement on this important amendment,” he wrote. 
He said the PPP was engaged in consultations with the opposition Jamiat Ulama-e-Pakistan Fazl (JUI-F) party in hopes that political parties would build a “broader consensus.”