ISLAMABAD — Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the 18th Amendment is so strong no one can abolish it. He told the National Assembly that all political parties agree on the 18th Amendment.
Bilawal said politicians must respect each other for parliament and the country to function properly. He added that the opposition’s role is not only to demand their leader’s release. They must also consult on legislation and hold the government accountable.
He argued that strong laws come from consensus, not just numerical majority. He said the house gains strength when amendments arise from party consultations. He warned that today’s amendment had a majority but lacked full consensus.
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Bilawal recalled that the 26th Amendment passed with broad agreement, arranged by Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman. He said PTI participated in that consensus through Maulana’s mediation. He added that the current amendment also had majority support but failed to gain unanimous backing.
He said the PPP consulted internally before supporting the new amendment and chose to complete the Charter of Democracy’s unfinished mission. Bilawal vowed to back the creation of a Constitutional Court. He reiterated that the 18th Amendment secured provincial rights and democratic reforms, and that its protections rest on signatures from parties including PML-N.
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Bilawal condemned recent terrorism incidents and called for national unity against militants despite political differences. He praised Pakistanis for defeating terrorists in the past and vowed they would prevail again. He also said the prime minister’s move to grant the army chief the Field Marshal title aims to strengthen Pakistan’s defense, and noted planned constitutional tweaks related to Article 243 and defence institutions.