ISLAMABAD, Jul 27 (APP): Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah on Wednesday said no institution sans the parliament had the powers to amend and rewrite the Constitution.
“We will not only fully protect this power of the parliament at all costs but also not allow any other institution to amend or rewrite the Constitution,” he said while addressing a press conference.
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Ruling out the impression of any attempt to curtail the powers of judiciary, the minister said an “independent, impartial and unbiased” judiciary was the basic need of every society and no country could make progress without it. It was also imperative for all citizens to respect the judiciary, he added.
Rana Sanaullah claimed that the apex court’s verdict in the Punjab Assembly deputy speaker’s ruling on the chief minister’s election had further worsened the political situation. The political instability was creating economic instability in the country with depreciation of rupee against dollar, growing inflation and plunging of stock market, he added.
Hamza Shehbaz, he said, was elected as Punjab’s chief minister after 197 members of the provincial assembly voted in his favour. However, 25 of them were deseated on account of party defection under the court decision with the direction that their votes would also not be counted.
He said a complete procedure in that regard was mentioned in Article 63-A of the Constitution. If any assembly member would poll their vote against the party’s direction, it would be counted and the Supreme Court had also given its observation in that regard.
Referring to the “current interpretation of Article 63-A” by the Supreme Court, he said many lawyers were of the opinion that “it amounts to re-writing of the Constitution”.
Replying to a question, the minister said Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif would come back to Pakistan before the next general election to lead the party’s campaign.
To another question, he said after the success of no-confidence motion against former prime minister Imran Khan, the PML-N wanted to go for early election but the coalition partners opposed the idea. The latter were of the view that the country might go bankrupt if a caretaker set-up was installed at the critical time, he added.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took over the responsibility and saved the country from bankruptcy, he added.
To a query, the minister said the government would not frame corruption cases against any one, rather it was the responsibility of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to file reference in courts after complete inquiry. An independent person was heading the institution and the government would not interfere in its affairs, he added.
The corruption cases of Farah Gogi were also with the Anti-Corruption Department and NAB, he added.
The minister warned the opposition that if they tried to march towards the capital again, they would be dealt with sternly and there might be the repeat of May 25 events.
Responding to the statements of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders about ban on his (Rana Sanullah’s) entry in Punjab, he said, “The Interior Ministry initiates a summary to impose the governor’s rule in any province and he has started work on it. The ban on my entry in Punjab will be a reason for the imposition of governor’s rule in the province.”
