Bilawal says he will present one amendment in NAB law that this law should be applied on judiciary whether they are sitting or retired judges
KARACHI, Feb 26 (SABAH): Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that he will present one amendment in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) law that this law should be applied on judiciary whether they are sitting or retired judges. He said that Pakistan is a country of democratic people but attacks have been carried out on Pakistan’s Constitution ever since its formation.
Addressing a ceremony at Sindh Assembly Auditorium celebrating the Golden Jubilee of 1973 Constitution, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the Sindh Assembly was the first to adopt the Pakistan resolution whereas the 1973 Constitution was given by former prime minister and PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
He said that it was because of the Constitution that the people have the right to vote but, ever since its inception, there have been efforts to rob people of it, adding that the Constitution had to go through many tough tests.
Bilawal Bhutto said that the Constitution is a contract between the state and its citizens, but added that if we keep fighting amongst ourselves, then others would continue to benefit form the situation. “We can only decide who will rule through the people’s vote,” he said.
He further said that when former dictator and army chief General (retd) Pervaiz Musharraf sabotaged the Constitution, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto herself reached out her own political opponents to build consensus on the Charter of Democracy (CoD).
Bilawal Bhutto said that it was tenure from 2008 to 2013 that if any project of PPP was in progress it was completed by PML-N. He said that this is the very reason that China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is running even today. He said that whether it was doctrine or script of someone that one selected was launched and he was launched to break the political consensus. He said that Imran Khan had just become the prime minister for benefiting himself and his family. He said that Imran Khan divided every institution, divided the politics at the extent that we could not talk with each other, divided the judiciary and divided the media in a way that if you tune one channel and switch to another channel there are different Pakistan. He said that Imran Khan also divided the establishment, adding that it is not known for how many years we will face the impacts of the harm done in three years tenure of Imran Khan. He said that our parliament and politicians have divided at such extent that there are difficulties in running the country.
Bilawal Bhutto said that Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), process of judges’ appointment and whole institution which provides justices are fighting with each other, then what nation will hope for justice. Bilawal Bhutto said that he is unaware for how long we will have to face loss of it, adding there is loss and big loss. He said that the politicians are fighting at the extent that half parliament is empty and half parliament is working.
Bilawal Bhutto said that when the judiciary is fighting at the extent that it is being heard that even one judge has difficulties talking to another judge.
Bilawal Bhutto said that from 2008 to 2013, PPP did not enjoy majority in the national assembly but was succeeded to bring over 100 amendments in the constitution while evolving consensus. He said that Pakistani people even today are looking towards the parliament and judiciary but there is less hope. He said that regretfully, the way the higher judiciary is operating while following dual standards; it is difficult for the parties like us to defend these actions. Bilawal Bhutto said that it could not happen that the prime minister from Larkana is hanged, adding that we are waiting till today that justice should be done with Quaid-e-Awam, adding that the reference is present in front of Supreme Court of Pakistan but we did not get reply. He said that there is another prime minister from Zaman Park and court waits for his appearance for one week, adding that the judges are making their own fun in the matter of Zaman Park’s prime minister. Bilawal Bhutto said that dual system could not work and could also not tolerate it.
He said that an editorial of the newspaper is enough for sent packing the government of Mohtarma Benzair Bhutto but to save the government of Imran Khan even constitution could be rewritten and has to save blue eyed. He said that the process of sacred cow should have to be stopped. He said that the law should be same for the common people and judges.
Bilawal Bhutto said that the debate is continuing regarding National Accountability Bureau (NAB), adding that it is stance of the PPP that NAB was established for political engineering and provision of space to the non-democratic forces and looming the sword on the elected representatives so this institution should be abolished. He said that it is not known which good thing of NAB is being looked into by the judges, adding that it might be the good thing that NAB is applicable on us and not applicable on them.
Bilawal Bhutto said that he will present one amendment in the NAB law that this law should be applied on judiciary whether they are sitting or retired judges. He said that the corruption is present everywhere, it is present in parliament and it would be in judiciary, adding that if there is right law and right approach a strong chief justice could overcome corruption and if the right method is adopted then it could be overcome in the democratic institution, but unfortunately we are running the system of holy cows, in which one law is for the common man and for the sacred cow there is a separate law. He said that Pakistan People’s Party will oppose this dual system and oppose the legislation regarding sacred cow and same law should be applied on every Pakistani. Bilawal Bhutto said that if this kind of system would have been present then at last justice would have also been done to us. Bilawal Bhutto said that the PPP workers competed with the two dictators and sent packing third selected, adding that we had formulated the Constitution and we will protect it.