PPP Plans Resolutions in Sindh, Balochistan Assemblies on Constitutional Benches

On October 23, 2024, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leadership confirmed that it plans to table resolutions in the Sindh and Balochistan provincial assemblies regarding the formation of constitutional benches in the Supreme Court. The move is part of the party’s broader strategy to push for judicial reforms and to address what it views as an imbalance in the distribution of constitutional cases across the judiciary.

The PPP, which holds significant political influence in Sindh and has a presence in Balochistan, believes that the resolutions will provide much-needed clarity on how constitutional cases should be handled at the national level. Senior PPP leaders have argued that recent developments in the judiciary highlight the need for greater transparency and consistency in how constitutional matters are decided.

The resolutions are expected to call for a more formalized process in determining which judges sit on constitutional benches, aiming to ensure that these critical cases are handled with the utmost impartiality and fairness. There is speculation that the PPP’s push for these resolutions is also part of a larger effort to safeguard democratic institutions amid increasing political tensions in the country.

While the resolutions are likely to be passed easily in Sindh, where the PPP has a majority, the party may face more resistance in Balochistan, where the political landscape is more fragmented. However, PPP leaders remain confident that the move will send a strong message about the need for judicial reforms at a time when the judiciary is under increased public scrutiny.