NA adopts motion authorizing Speaker to constitute a special committee to investigate into recent audio leak of the son of ex-CJP Saqib Nisar

ISLAMABAD, May 02 (SABAH): Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has said the parliament is the supreme institution and being defender of the constitution will not allow any extra constitutional step.

Speaking in the National Assembly on Tuesday, Khawaja Asif said the parliament will not surrender its authority. He said we should get united for the sanctity and dignity of the house by rising above our differences.

The Defense Minister said the elected representatives come to the parliament with the mandate of the people. He said the foundation of our career is based on public service.

Khawaja Asif said the Supreme Court has sought proceedings of this house which are not hidden from anybody. He said we should provide the court with the proceedings but the parliament should also seek record of their matters.

Khawaja Asif said we are holding dialogue with our opponents but it does not come in the precinct of the court to dictate us for negotiations.

The Defense Minister said that a house committee should also be constituted to examine the cases decided by the judiciary in the past. He said the facts should come before the masses.

Khawaja Asif said that the judiciary should be made accountable for former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s case and disqualifying two ex-chief executives — Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Yousuf Raza Gilani — from holding public office.

“We are holding dialogue with our opponents but it does not come in the precinct of the court to dictate us for negotiations,” Khawaja Asif said.

A house committee, he further added, should also be constituted to examine the cases decided by the judiciary in the past. He said the facts should come before the masses.

The defence minister went on to say that the government respects the top court but it should operate within its constitutional domain. He added that parliament is the supreme institution and being a defender of the Constitution will not allow any extra-constitutional step.

The senior leader of the PML-N said that parliament will not surrender its authority. “We should get united for the sanctity and dignity of the house by rising above our differences.”

The elected representatives come to parliament with the mandate of the people, he said, adding that the foundation of their career is based on public service.

 

Taking the floor, Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Shazia Atta Marri said the Supreme Court should not interfere in the matters of the parliament which is the mother of all institutions in democracy.  She said the judiciary should also understand the sanctity and respect of the parliament.

Responding to the points raised by Jamaat-e-Islami MNA Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali, Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Shazia Marri said that the government will continue to raise the plight of oppressed Kashmiri people at all the international forums.

She said our stand on the Kashmir dispute is very clear. She said Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has brought more clarity to the foreign policy. She said the Foreign Minister will visit India to attend the SCO meeting.

Nawab Muhammad Aslam Bhootani was of the view that the house should not provide its proceedings to the Supreme Court. He said we respect the court but it should also respect the parliament.

Muhammad Abu Bakar said the parliament should defend the constitution.

Chairman Public Accounts Committee Noor Alam Khan said under the constitution, no court can seek proceedings of the parliament. He however said that the public accounts committee has the authority to seek records of the accounts of courts and other institutions. Noor Alam Khan said that he has summoned the principal accounting officer of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and if he fails to appear before the PAC then he will issue his arrest warrants and action will be taken against him according to the constitution. He said that the Supreme Court has to get checked its accounts from the parliament, adding that the nation should know what are the details of the assets, properties, plots and other perks and privileges of the judges. He said that contempt is being committed by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) while not providing the details of the plots given to the government officers.

Noor Alam Khan said he has time and again written to CDA but it has not provided the details of the plots given to the prime ministers, ministers, members of the parliament and judges. He requested the Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan to direct CDA regarding provision of the details of the plots given to the government officers.

 The house on Tuesday adopted a motion authorizing the Speaker to constitute a special committee to investigate into the recent audio leak of the son of former Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar. It was moved by Shahida Akhtar Ali.