ISLAMABAD/KARACHI – As the Supreme Court takes up the contempt of court proceedings against Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders Taj Haider and Sharjeel Inam Memon today (Friday), the ruling party launched Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza against the judiciary on Thursday and he hurled threats at the judges upon his arrival in Islamabad, saying that anyone talking in terms of power would have to face an even stronger response. Speaking to PPP workers at Benazir International Airport, Mirza directly addressed the judiciary without mincing his words and said: “The enemies of the people and democracy used the garb of uniform and judiciary to attack them.”
“I respect the judiciary but it will also have to act as judiciary,” the Sindh home minister, who has earned the reputation of being a (mis)guided missile, said in a clear message to the judiciary that it should not overstep its domainMirza’s statement indicates that the PPP is all set to take on the judiciary and another showdown between the government and the Supreme Court is likely as a large number of PPP lawmakers from Sindh have decided to attend the SC’s contempt of court proceedings.
The two PPP leaders have been summoned for allegedly disrespecting the court’s decision against the appointment of former National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (r) Deedar Hussain Shah. Around 90 provincial assembly members (MPAs) of the party, including provincial ministers, left for Islamabad on Thursday to show “moral support” to their colleagues Haider and Memon, at the contempt of court proceedings in the SC.
“We have not committed any contempt of the court, therefore seeking an apology would be out of the question”, Haider told reporters at Jinnah International Airport before leaving for Islamabad. “We will clarify our position,” he added. He said that they had always respected the courts and could not even think about violating its decisions. The PPP leader said that “some forces” that had vested interests were trying to create a conflict between the judiciary and parliament, which was a dangerous move for the country.
He said that his party had always made sacrifices to promote democracy as well as independence of the judiciary, and would continue to do so. Memon said that they were not afraid of any action against them as they had not committed any violation of the court’s orders. Memon, who was also elected to the Sindh Assembly, said that the people of the country had already shown their reservations with various court decisions such as the “judicial murder” of the late PPP founder and former prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, and not providing justice in an appeal against the “unconstitutional removal” of former premier Benazir Bhutto’s government.
