The Lahore High Court''s (LHC) interference on the issue of Kalabagh Dam has damaged parliament''s mandate, federal Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said on Friday. According to him, it was "purely a political issue and the parliament is the right forum to decide its fate".
Addressing the Foundation Day ceremony of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) here, Kaira requested the court not to pass judgements regarding political matters. He said that the issue of Kalabagh dam would be resolved in parliament and the Council of Common Interests, and not in court. Courts, he said, would be criticised if they interfered in political matters, because such decisions would lead to a confrontation among institutions. The superior courts should refrain from interfering in political matters for larger national interest, he said.
Expressing confidence over PPP''s popularity, he said that the party would bag more votes in upcoming general elections and would be emerge as the leading party to form the next government. President Zardari, he said, was the first president in the country''s history who had handed over powers to parliament and shifted powers from the centre to provinces. He said that PPP led-government was focused largely on freedom of the press, adding that as a result, media was flourishing rapidly during its tenure. "Free and responsible media is vital for democracy...the party has taken all measures for the promotion of free and independence media." The Information Minister assured journalists of his full co-operation for the implementation of the Wage Board Award.