Ideal democracy linked with constitutional supremacy: Shazia Marri

ISLAMABAD: Shazia Marri, the minister for poverty alleviation and social safety, stated on Thursday that the Constitution clearly defines the roles of all institutions and that the country’s ideal democracy is based on constitutional supremacy.

She stated during the National Assembly’s budget debate that the distribution of funds under the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) was not a charitable act but rather a matter of constitutional right. According to Shazia Murri, the government must accept responsibility for the challenging situation brought on by the previous regime’s poor economic policies. She claimed that because social security had grown to be a pressing concern for the nation, the BISP budget had been significantly increased.

The children enrollment in school has jumped to 7.4 million from 3.7 million registering an increase of 210 percent due to Benazir Bhutto Shaheed education scholarship. The government has set enrollment target of 9.2 million, she added.

She went on to say that the assembly was dissolved unconstitutionally and the prime minister was ousted through adopting constitutional procedure. The coalition parties united for survival and stability of the country, she said and added that it was not for the first time that many parties were on same page for the stability of the country. She said that earlier, PPP and PML-N inked charter of democracy for strengthening of democracy.

The minister said that all amendments incorporated in the constitution by the military dictator Zia ul Haq were changed with consensus of all political parties.  We will continue our struggle to strengthen democracy in the country, she added.