ISLAMABAD: Senators from both the treasury and opposition benches on Friday traded barbs over Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umar Ata Bandial’s “incomplete parliament” remarks with the ruling party senator raised objections to the CJP’s statement, saying that only parliament and not the judiciary and the armed forces, is the representative of the people of the country.
Criticising what he said irrelevant remarks of apex court about parliament, PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui said parliament was sovereign and it must be allowed to work independently. “Parliament is complete and working independently. National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws were passed by the parliament after proper deliberations. Parliament must not be made controversial as the House represents the people of Pakistan,” he added.
He also maintained that the apex court enjoys the power to strike down unconstitutional laws.
On Thursday CJP Bandial during hearing of PTI Chief Imran Khan’s plea against amendments to NAB law, had observed that the problems being faced by the country could only be addressed through the people’s decision. He had asserted: “The current parliament has been systematically kept incomplete. The legislation taking place in the current parliament is also becoming controversial [as a result].”
During the Senate session today, Senator Siddiqui objected to the CJP statement, saying that only parliament is the representative of the people of the country.
Referring to the CJP statement that only one prime minister in the country’s history is considered honest, Senator Siddiqui said that Justice Bandial had probably referred to ex-PM Muhammad Khan Junejo. “Who gave him the privilege to call everyone from Liaquat Ali Khan to Imran Khan a liar?”
“Have we ever named a single judge and said that only one judge is honest? Don’t beat the back of the parliament with a whip every day,” he remarked.
While lamenting the “political statement”, Senator Siddiqui added: “How could the chief justice say that the parliament has become controversial?”
He said elections of two provincial assemblies – Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab – should be held within 90 days period and the government respects the apex court, adding that its decision about elections would be implemented in letter and spirit.
PTI Senator and Leader of the Opposition Shehzad Wasim on the other hand supported the chief justice’s remarks, saying that parliament is truly incomplete as the “largest party has been expelled”.
Senator Wasim asked the ruling party lawmaker to not consider a criticism as insult, saying the CJP’s remarks were not directly related to parliament or elections.
He also criticised the government for what he said not announcing the election dates of the provincial assemblies of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
He said holding elections within 90 days of dissolution of assemblies, was obligatory as per the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
Former minister for information and broadcasting Shibli Faraz alleged that the leadership of the opposition Pakistan Terheek-e-Insaf (PTI) was being victimised.
Participating in a debate titled “This House expresses its deep gratitude to the President of Pakistan for his address to both the Houses assembled together on October 6, 2022”, he said free and fair elections must be held for achieving stability in the country.
He alleged that 43 members of the National Assembly from PTI were denied entry into the House the other day.
