ISLAMABAD: On Thursday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared that the government would accept the Supreme Court’s decision in the case involving the elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. However, he stated during the laying of the foundation stone for the Islamabad Lawyers Complex that judges who had previously recused themselves should not be added to that bench. He thought back to Justice Munir, who had developed the doctrine of necessity that had led Pakistan in a particular direction. We respect the Supreme Court and its justices, and their rulings ought to be binding on everyone, he said. He mentioned that a nine-member bench was initially formed for the Supreme Court’s proceedings in the election case, but that number was later reduced to three.
In the same case, political parties were not made part of the proceedings despite requests, he noted. The prime minister said if the demand for a full bench of the Supreme Court was accepted in the case for elections in Punjab ad Khyber Pakhtunkhwa then everybody would have accepted the decision.
He said the decision of Supreme Court Justice Qazi Faez Esa was invalidated through a circular in a case. Then a six- member larger bench was formed for the same case. Article 63A of the constitution was rewritten and the appeal filed by the government in the Supreme Court was still not heard, he continued.
He said no political party could evade elections as it would bury its politics. He said a court verdict was given that a prime minister was nothing without his federal cabinet but this principle was not applied on others.
He said all the stakeholders should look at their conduct and decide whether they wanted to protect the future of coming generations or they wanted to indulge in fights for their personal interests and take Pakistan in a direction from which nobody could come back.
“We have to protect the future of Pakistan which is faced with many challenges. We should take decisions with a cool head and stay united for the interest of Pakistan,” he said.
While expressing delight at the construction of Lawyers Complex, he said the project would be built at a cost of Rs 1.8 billion. Earlier, the project was only on papers and nothing was done on it, he told. He directed that sports complex comprising swimming pools should also be made part of the the lawyers complex. He said lawyers were a prominent section of society and they played an important role for the rule of law, restoration of judiciary and justice since the creation of Pakistan.
Lawyers bore baton charges and physical violence as they held demonstrations and rallies for the restoration of the judiciary, he added.
Earlier, Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah and Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar also spoke and highlighted measures taken for the welfare of lawyers.
Meanwhile, a delegation of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Thursday called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and discussed the ongoing population census and overall political situation in the country.
The delegation comprised Federal Information Technology and Telecommunications Minister Aminul Haq and former Member of National Assembly Farooq Sattar. Federal Economic Affairs Minister Sardar Ayaz Sadiq also attended the meeting, a PM Office statement said.
