ISLAMABAD: The ruling coalition of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) strongly criticised the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s decision in the Punjab elections’ delay case, saying the “majority decision converted into minority” which will further deepen the constitutional and political crises in the country.

Speaking in the National Assembly here with National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf in the chair, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif while referring to the judicial murder of late prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto said that his murder took place on April 4, 1979, and on the same date today, the unfortunate episode was repeated with a decision of the Supreme Court in the polls delay case.

While equating the two decisions, he said that “a murder of justice” has taken place which was highly regrettable. He said the apex court’s decision in the Punjab poll’s delay case is also “not acceptable”.

In the cabinet’s meeting, he added, the government had demanded that a reference over the judicial murder of the late prime minister, which had been pending for the last 12 years, should be taken up and decided by the full court.

PM Sharif said that the world knew that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s case was a “judicial murder”. One of the former judges, who had decided the case, had accepted it in his memoirs, he added.

The prime minister also lauded the late Bhutto and said he was among the founders of the 1973 Constitution and his historic contribution would always be remembered. However, the treasury members said that they want to strengthen the institutions instead of a ‘one-man show’. They said that it is their right to raise voice against this decision.

Speaking on the floor of the house, Federal Law and Justice Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said that the apex court’s verdict came as a shock for him as it would further increase the political and constitutional crisis in the country.

He said that decision made in such “haste” would harm the country and the institution should not have converted a majority decision into a minority verdict.

He once again called upon the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Umar Ata Bandial, to constitute a larger bench to hear the recent important matters about the law and constitution.

“The dignity and prestige of the Supreme Court demand such a course which will also serve the interests of the nation as we couldn’t afford any constitutional and political crises at this point in time,” he added.

He also said that the Cabinet has urged the Supreme Court to immediately take up the Presidential Reference against the judicial murder of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Tarar said that Bhutto’s reference has been lying before the apex court for the last 12 years, adding a formal letter would be written to the Supreme Court to hear the reference and rectify the historic mistake.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023