ISLAMABAD: In a hard-hitting speech at the National Assembly , Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday said that the judiciary should be made accountable for disqualifying former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Yousuf Raza Gilani from holding public office.
Khawaja Asif said that there could be no substitute for the mandate of elected representatives in the country’s system, alleging that he Supreme Court was trying to prevent the government from completing its term.
He said that questions were being raised about the mandate of the Parliament, adding that for seventy years, public representatives have gone to the people to renew their pledge. “No institution has served the people as much as public representatives have.”
He said that nothing hidden from the public as the proceedings of the assembly are shown on TV, but the proceedings of the courts are not publicized. “We respect the Supreme Court, and we should give the court minutes of the assembly’s sessions, but the Speaker of the National Assembly should also demand the court’s record of judicial proceedings.”
Khawaja Asif said that it is not the Supreme Court’s job to hold Panchayats or negotiate. “We must unite and defend Parliament in any case.”
The Defense Minister said that the tradition of getting the Prime Minister’s disqualified should end. “We have to protect our Prime Minister. The Prime Minister have to be protected, we all have to forget mutual division and respect Parliament.”
Chairman Public Accounts Committee Noor Alam Khan also criticized the Supreme Court registrar over his letter about audit of the Supreme Court funds, saying that no audit of the supreme court has been carried out during last ten years. He said that he has summoned the principal account office of the Supreme Court to respond to the questions of the members of the committee. He warned that if the Supreme Court official failed to appear before the committee, then he would issue his arrest warrants.
