ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Hitting hard on opposition for its apparent contradiction between words and deeds, the Federal Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif said on Friday that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had rendered great sacrifices to strengthen judiciary of the country.
“Today, if the judiciary is so powerful, it is the fruit of our struggle and that of lawyers,” the minister said while responding to the address of Opposition Leader Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah in the National Assembly.
“Our blood was included in the struggle and that was why the judiciary of today is more free in making decisions and defending the institution,” he said.
The minister suggested the opposition not to sermonize the PML-N as it had played a great role for the last 12 years to strengthen the judiciary.
“The people who were now making hue and cry were companions of military dictators at the time when PML-N was struggling for democracy,” he said.
Khawaja Asif said that PML-N had always respected the judiciary and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif always bowed his head before the supreme institution. He said the PML-N respected constitutional institutions also due to the fact that it had great contributions in strengthening them.
“Our constitution as well as the institutions are very dear to us. We believe powerful institutions will guarantee the existence of Pakistan,” he remarked.
The minister said that the prime minister’s one son appeared before the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) thrice on the orders of Supreme Court while his other son was also appearing before the JIT, adding that all the family had bowed before the decision of Supreme Court.
Asif said that it was happening for the first time in the 70 years history of Pakistan that a sitting prime minister had presented his three generations for accountability.
The federal minister said that when the then President Asif Ali Zardari failed to fulfill his commitment to restore judiciary within one month, the PML-N had left the coalition government to struggle for the supreme institution. He said that when in October 2007, the PML-N lawmakers were tendering their resignations the opposition leader was engaged in benefitting the fruits of NRO.
The minister expressed the surprise that as why the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) which was in power in the province of Sindh was not conducting inquiry into the assassination of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto. He admitted that the Bhutto family had great contributions for the democracy, however the people here instead of nabbing the assassin of the late leader were engaged in reaping political fruits.
Khawaja Asif said that he personally had no objection on providing live coverage to the opposition, saying that the parliamentarians were representing around 200 million people of Pakistan so by facilitating live coverage would enable them to know what is happening in the parliament.
The minister suggested that the Parliament should launch its own television channel and telecast the proceedings of both the houses live to help people know what contributions their representatives are making in the parliament.
On Nehal Hashmi issue, the minister said that it was historic that the PML-N took a swift action and not only revoked his membership in the Senate but also cancelled his party membership.
The water and power minister said that this had happened for the first time in the political history of Pakistan that a ruling party took such a prompt action.
Asif said that since Nehal Hashmi was associated with the PML-N, so his statement was unacceptable for the party and hence it regretted for that. However, he suggested the opposition leader to also put his own house in order and check what was happening there.
The minister said that the smooth functioning of the parliament was the demonstration of democratic culture. This parliament should be remembered for playing an active role for strengthening the institutions, he added.
