ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has declared the Supreme Court verdict “harmful for democracy” and there are proposals for the promulgation of a presidential ordinance or nomination of a new prime minister to deal with the situation emerging after the apex court verdict.
In this regard, a session of the National Assembly would be summoned while the PPP has authorised President Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to take a final decision, which would be taken in consultation with the coalition partners, said PPP Secretary General Jahangir Badr, Secretary Information Qamar Zaman Kaira and Raja Pervez Ashraf while addressing a press conference at the party’s central secretariat after the PPP Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting chaired by President Zardari on Tuesday.
Kaira said that when there was no prime minister, there was no cabinet. “Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani is no more the prime minister and his cabinet is also no more.” He said the PPP had accepted the Supreme Court verdict but that they had reservations.
“We will come out with a detailed reaction after holding consultations with legal experts and coalition partners,” said Jahangir Badr.The CEC meeting was in progress when news channels broke the news of the SC verdict on the disqualification of Gilani. The president immediately cancelled the CEC meeting and started the meeting of PPP Core Committee.
The PPP has also summoned its parliamentary party meeting today (Wednesday) at the Presidency to formulate the party’s future line of action and finalise the name of the new prime minister.
Jahangir Badr said the decision on the new prime minister would be taken after consulting the coalition partners.Kaira said the PPP had asked its workers to remain calm and not take to the streets. “We do not want anarchy and civil war in the country as the Punjab government-sponsored protests are going on. If the PPP workers came out also, there is a fear of a clash with them,” he added.
Kaira skipped a question about the name of the new prime minister, saying that the decision would be taken after consulting political advisers.Pervez Ashraf said the democratic process would continue without interruption and the PPP would continue playing its positive role in the greater interest of the country. “President Zardari will do everything that is in the interest of the country, its parliament and democracy,” he added.Sources said the PPP had decided to file a review petition against the decision in the Supreme Court.