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Equal representation of all provinces in FCC envisaged under the 27th Constitutional Amendment is a historic achievement: Bilawal

Islamabad: Chairman Pakistan People's Party, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, has said equal representation of all provinces in the Federal Constitutional Court envisaged under the 27th Constitutional Amendment is a historic achievement.Participating in the discussion on the 27th Constitutional Amendment in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Bilawal Bhutto appreciated the government for accepting the PPP's demand in this regard, emphasizing that it was also part of Charter of Democracy.The PPP Chairman said Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and our armed forces are being praised at the global level after inflicting a humiliating defeat on India. He said the rank of Field Marshal is now being given constitutional protection under the 27th Constitutional Amendment.The PPP Chairman emphasized the need for greater engagement amongst the political parties. He said we should move toward Truth and Reconciliation as was enshrined in the Charter of Democracy to reduce political polarization.Strongly condem ning the terrorist incidents in Islamabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the PPP Chairman said Pakistan had defeated this menace in the past through great sacrifices, and it will once again overcome it with unity and determination.Bilawal Bhutto said that following the 27th Constitutional Amendment, the judiciary will no longer have the authority to take suo motu actions.He noted that the PPP and PML-N had faced the "consequences" of suo motu powers, especially during the tenure of former CJP Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.'We have witnessed prime ministers and ministers being humiliated under the pretext of suo motu. The judiciary even used this authority to regulate the prices of tomatoes and potatoes," Bilawal added."We have seen a Chief Justice use this power to initiate a dam project. But from now on, there will be no suo motu."The PPP chairman said that the 26th Constitutional Amendment was passed with maximum consensus, a process he said reflected the spirit of democratic cooperation. He added that Maul ana Fazlur Rehman played a key role in engaging PTI and other opposition parties to build agreement on the amendment, even seeking their approval for participation in the vote.Bilawal said that the previous constitutional change created constitutional benches instead of a constitutional court, as the then-chief justice could not assume the court's leadership. "This time, through the 27th Amendment, we are establishing a proper constitutional court," he stated, adding that the reform would further strengthen the judicial system.He also condemned the recent wave of terrorist attacks, urging political parties and citizens to stand united against the threat of extremism. 'We may have political or ideological differences, but the entire nation must unite against terrorism,' Bilawal said, adding that militants were once again attempting to destabilise the country.He recalled that Pakistan's military, civil society, and citizens had previously defeated terrorism through immense sacrifices, asserting that the c ountry would 'once again overcome the menace.''Pakistan achieved what the entire world could not in Afghanistan - defeating terrorists on our own soil,' Bilawal remarked, paying tribute to the martyrs who laid down their lives for peace.The PPP chairman also revealed that Prime Minister Shehbaz had decided to appoint the army chief as field marshal as part of the government's efforts to enhance the country's defence structure. He said the post of field marshal would be constitutionally protected under Article 243, alongside other defence-related amendments soon to be introduced.'Constitution-making derives its strength from consensus,' Bilawal noted, recalling that the 1973 Constitution was passed with unanimous agreement among all parties, while the 18th Amendment was enacted after PML-N and PPP jointly defeated dictatorship and restored democracy.In his remarks on the occasion, Minister for Education Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui emphasized the need for devolution of power to grassroots level.