HYDERABAD: Ruling out the concerns expressed by different quarters over the passage of the 26th Amendment, former PPP senator Maula Bux Chandio said on Thursday it had not affected the authority of the judiciary.

The PPP leader also said he did not see release of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman from jail in near future.

Speaking to journalists at his residence on Thursday, he said the 26th Amendment had become the talk of the town as if it was a matter of survival for some politicians.

Chandio said Pakistan needed a national-level leadership and statesman that had been seen for a brief period in the past.

He noted that Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s father had played a crucial role in restoring the Constitution in its original shape, but the way his family was treated was regrettable. He said the 26th Amendment had become part of the Constitution and propaganda on it would end soon.

He said the PPP chairman had summarised everything in one sentence by saying that ‘One Unit’ in the judiciary was not acceptable. Many injustices were seen in courts, he added.

Criticising the “mob mentality” of the PTI activists who had chased the retired CJP in London, he said it was a wrong trend being set by them.

Mr Chandi said the Constitution was drafted by the parliament and judiciary only interpreted it. He pointed out that courts had often intervened in constitutional matters to give new definitions by making addition to provisions of the Constitution. He said that now this would no longer continue as Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari stood firm against such things.

He said while the government was making its solo efforts for the passage of the amendment, the PPP chairman helped it accomplish the task in a democratic manner.

Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2024