ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership, Thursday, while reiterating full support to the Supreme Court (SC) through thick and thin has said that the nation pins strong hopes on the Supreme Court (SC) for sailing the country out of the current crisis.
Talking to reporters here, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Central Secretary General Asad Umar and Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhary said that their party stands behind the SC in all circumstances and hoped that the constitution would stand victorious amid the government’s constant efforts to create a divide among the judges of the apex court.
Qureshi said that the entire nation pinned hopes on the apex court to get the country out of the prevailing numerous crises. Qureshi expressed hope that eventually, the constitution would win, adding that it was the PTI’s stated and principled position from day one to respect democratic values.
He stated that efforts were afoot to create such a situation in order to delay the polls because the political rivals did not have the courage to face the PTI in the political arena. Qureshi went on to say that according to the PTI’s lawyers, the powers of the SC can be extended but cannot be curtailed or limited.
He said that the people of Pakistan were very intelligent and they were well aware of the priorities of the rulers, who put the country into the worst crises for their own vested and petty political mileage.
Speaking on the occasion, Umar said that Pakistan’s constitution was in danger and no one should have any doubt in this regard now. He said that the constitution was a social contract and if this contract was broken, nothing would be left, adding that the PTI would stand with the constitution under all circumstances.
Umar condemned the attempts to create fissures among the judges of the superior court of the country. He warned that an attack on the SC from outside would be construed as an attack on Pakistan. He stated that whatever the ruling of the apex court, the whole of Pakistan including the PTI would support it.
Fawad Chaudhry made it clear that it was the constitutional and legal obligation to hold polls within 90 days after the dissolution of the assemblies.
He raised the question that what magic would happen in Pakistan that everything would be fine in six months that the PDM would go for polls. He said that there was no possibility, as the “imported government” was shying away from conducting elections, fearing a defeat.
He stated that holding polls in October meant that the incumbent government would come to an end on August 10. Chaudhary said that the government did not comply with the orders of the SC, saying that Pakistan’s economic problems would further exacerbate whether or not the government succeeded in striking a deal with the IMF.
Chaudhry predicted that the PDM’s return to politics was unlikely, as crooked politicians had no political future. He warned that if the government did not implement the constitution and kept on resisting to hold polls in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), it would simply mean that an unconstitutional setup would be established in Pakistan, which would last not for a year or two but as long as it can.
However, he warned that any such move can trigger “a civil war” in the country and no one would be able to stop it.
Chaudhry suggested that the only way to get the country out of the prevailing challenges was to hold polls within the stipulated 90 days.
He added that the system in the country was being run through “coercion and cruelty”, as pressure was being put not only on the magistrates but even on the judges of the Supreme Court.
He stated that the gravity of the situation could be judged by the fact that the court decisions were being thrown into the trash, as despite a lapse of seven days, Azhar Mashwani has not been produced, while Hassaan Khan Niazi was caught within 15 minutes in another case after securing bail.
He stated that dividing the judges was an old practice and tactic of the PML-N and this would not only harm the apex court but would ruin the Constitution of Pakistan altogether.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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