- ‘PPP wants to address judicial reforms issue but Nawaz’s intentions doubtful’
LAHORE: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) forced the judges to pass verdicts against Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari, the proof of which are taped conversations of Shehbaz Sharif and Saifur Rehman.
Earlier on Tuesday, Bilawal took to Twitter and shared a taped conversation between Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Justice (retd) Abdul Qayyum, in which the former can be heard asking the judge to “take care” of a case against former PML-N Member of National Assembly (MNA) Chaudhry Sarwar.
“This is what conspiracy and judicial victimisation looks like. Sharifs dictating judgments against Benazir and Asif Zardari,” Bilawal noted.“Blackmailing judges is justice, while the Panama decision, based on an international scandal, is called conspiracy. Sharifs are masters at this game of lies, deceit and hypocrisy,” he added on his social media handle.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, PPP chairperson went on to say that he doesn’t support institutional conflicts and that the parliament and Constitution are two supreme institutions of the country.
Bilawal further stated that if judicial reforms are needed, they shouldn’t be controversial. “You need to sit with lawyers, civil society and others to form laws and amendments,” said the PPP chairman.
Calling Punjab’s current politics as disheartening, the PPP leader said that his party wants to make Lahore “progressive and peaceful.”
He further stated that it’s a joke with the nation when the longest-serving prime minister of the country [Nawaz Sharif], who still enjoys government in the federation, “acts as if he’s in the opposition.”
Separately, Bilawal stated that though his party is willing to address the issue of judicial reforms, it is uncertain about the ruling party’s intentions.
“It is inappropriate to threaten to revoke a legislation that hasn’t even passed yet. It’s inappropriate to say we will reject it when you haven’t heard the case,” said Bilawal while speaking to media and added, “There are issues we want to address about judicial reforms, but Nawaz’s intentions are not right. He doesn’t want judicial reforms, he wants a judiciary of the PML-N.”
“Stop crying, do you work…people want their issues resolved,” he advised Nawaz Sharif.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi while addressing a National Assembly (NA) session on Monday had said that it was better for the House to debate on the matter in order to avoid confrontation among institutions.
The premier said that elected representatives are termed as “thieves, robbers and Godfathers” in the courts and that government officials are humiliated.
“Does this House not have the right to legislate,” questioned Abbasi. “Or will we have to seek permission to legislate?”
The PM’s comments came after his directives to PML-N parliamentary party members that the judge’s conduct will be discussed in the parliament.
