Bilawal says tampering with NFC and 18th Amendment is like ‘playing with fire’

Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari warned that any attempt to dilute provincial powers or undermine constitutional protections granted under the 18th Amendment would be “playing with fire.”

Bilawal delivered the warning during a video speech marking the 58th day of the founding of the PPP, broadcast simultaneously in over 100 districts.

Recalling earlier proposals by the ruling PML-N to amend the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, Bilawal said the PPP had opposed such measures. He noted that this opposition was the reason why the proposed changes were ultimately excluded from the final draft of the 27th Constitutional Amendment.

Pakistan’s structural challenges, he said, were rooted in the country’s history, and the PPP had worked to strengthen the federation by restoring democracy and ensuring provincial rights and representation.

Bilawal warned political forces trying to cast doubt on decisions taken by parliament, saying that creating laws and drafting the Constitution were the sole responsibility of elected representatives.

He said that when a constitutional amendment is approved by consensus and majority, only parliament has the authority to review or modify it. Requiring courts or judges to decide the fate of a constitutional amendment, he said, was an overreach.

“This is not its authority, nor will we allow any other institution to interfere in the jurisdiction of parliament. No court has had, has or will have the power to annul a constitutional amendment,” he stressed.

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He highlighted that the state had strengthened the federation by ensuring political, economic and administrative inclusion through the 18th Amendment and the NFC Award. Those who sought to undo these achievements, he said, ignored how these measures helped neutralize the separatist politics that hostile foreign powers once exploited. “Those who attempt to tamper with the NFC Award or the 18th Amendment are, in fact, playing with fire,” he warned.

Referring to rising regional tensions, Bilawal said the government must avoid giving hostile actors opportunities to exploit Pakistan’s internal divisions, especially at a time when India’s Defense Minister is issuing aggressive statements and when Pakistan’s relations with Afghanistan remain tense.

He also expressed concern about the country’s political climate, saying Pakistan’s internal divisions had reached unprecedented levels of bitterness. “Our disagreements may be political, but the level of bitterness that has emerged in Pakistan’s political culture – the fever that has gripped our politics – has reached a stage where members of one political party are not willing to even talk to those of another,” he said.

Bilawal urged all political actors to adopt a path of truce and reconciliation, noting that the second part of the Charter of Democracy calls for political peace.

“The second part of the Charter of Democracy is truce and reconciliation, and I believe that all stakeholders must follow this path to address the political crisis. Only then can all political parties work together to lead the country out of the challenges it faces at the national and international levels. Otherwise, we will continue to fight among ourselves and those who conspire against Pakistan will exploit our divisions,” he warned.

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Bilawal praised the PPP for defending provincial financial rights and accused the PML-N of trying to revive the executive judiciary system and reclaim issues devolved to the provinces, such as education and population control. The PPP, he said, would support measures that strengthened the federation but would never support any measures that weakened provincial autonomy.

Referring to the newly formed Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), established under the 27th Amendment, Bilawal said some elements were trying to create doubts about the institution. He expressed hope that the FCC would prove his critics wrong. He stressed that decisions regarding constitutional amendments remained the prerogative of parliament and criticized those seeking judicial intervention in such matters.

He said the FCC had assumed the highest constitutional jurisdiction in the country and would now oversee major constitutional and political matters, while the Supreme Court would focus on criminal cases. Bilawal hoped the FCC would not follow the path of previous judicial overreach, referencing courts that had ventured into administrative and political matters, from fixing commodity prices to disqualifying prime ministers.

Bilawal concluded by noting that the PPP had fulfilled its commitment to establish a constitutional court and had ensured equal provincial representation within it, expressing hope that the new judicial structure would strengthen public trust and improve access to justice.