Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that the 26th Constitutional Amendment would address the long-standing issue of unwarranted delays in dispensation of speedy justice to the people of Pakistan and ease the sufferings of millions of people struggling to access justice.
Addressing the federal cabinet, the premier said the new law would prove to be a “milestone” in ensuring public welfare, and would surely relieve the common man from the burdens of a slow and often inaccessible justice system.
It is not just a legal reform but also an effort to implement the vision outlined in the 2006 Charter of Democracy – an agreement signed by former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif – that aimed to restore democracy and ensure political stability, he said.
He recalled that extensive discussions took place between the ruling coalition and the opposition on the amendment, and that its passage proved that Pakistan had the ability to work together across political divides.
He thanked key political figures like President Asif Ali Zardari, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman for their efforts to get the bill passed. Support also came from parties such as the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, the Awami National Party, and Balochistan Awami Party, along with independent candidates, and the prime minister gave them due credit.
Shehbaz Sharif also took time to acknowledge the recently held meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of Government. He dubbed it a diplomatic success, saying that the event was successfully hosted despite security and terrorism challenges. This, he said, helped boost the country’s international standing, and thanked the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Interior, and Information, as well as the law enforcement agencies, the military, and intelligence services, for ensuring the summit’s success. He also praised the Capital Development Authority for its efforts in making the federal capital presentable to foreign visitors.
Shehabz Sharif informed the cabinet members about his meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang, whose visit to Pakistan marked the first of its kind in 11 years. He said the visit reaffirmed the strong ties between Pakistan and China, and opened the door for future economic collaborations. The federal cabinet also discussed the country’s economic situation, with the prime minister noting that inflation had dropped to 6.9 percent and the policy rate declining constantly.
Some recent international events were also discussed in the meeting, especially the ongoing violence in Gaza and Lebanon. Shehbaz Sharif criticized the international community’s failure to act on resolutions from bodies like the United Nations Security Council and rulings from the International Court of Justice. He expressed frustration at the lack of global accountability for Israel’s actions and said the resolutions had been dumped into the “dustbin of history”,
Meanwhile, chairing a separate meeting, the prime minister directed officials to immediately send two planeloads of relief supplies to Gaza and Lebanon, saying that those impacted by the ongoing conflict were in dire need of relief goods. He said that both land and air routes should be used to ensure aid reaches those in desperate need. He also instructed better coordination with Pakistan’s ambassadors in Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt to ensure a smooth supply of the aid. He also called on Pakistanis, both within the country and abroad, to contribute generously to the PM Relief Fund for Gaza and Lebanon. He asked for a public awareness campaign to be launched so as to inform the people about the fund and its purpose.
The prime minister also said that non-governmental organizations interested in sending aid to the affected areas would be facilitated in doing so.