He was talking to Federal Minister for Law and Justice Farooq H Naek, who called on him at the PM House. Ashraf said that the Objectives Resolution, a part of the Constitution, had envisaged that only public representatives had the authority to act in accordance with the Constitution.

The premier said that the government believed in the supremacy of law and governing the country according to the dictates of the Constitution wherein a clear role had been assigned to the legislature, executive and judiciary. The prime minister said that he not only believed in the independence of the judiciary but also in an independent judicial system. apprised the premier of initiatives taken to introduce the local government system in the Fata with a view to ensuring people’s effective representation in the planning and execution of local development projects, including the reconciliation mechanism to settle local issues.

Naek also expressed satisfaction over progress on deliberations on the Anti-Terrorism Law saying that it would ensure terrorists’ conviction, which is presently embarrassingly slow due to defects in the existing law, because of which criminals often walk free. “The evidence presented in the court by prosecutors does not stand the defence on legal and technical grounds and resultantly hard core terrorists go scot-free,” Naek explained.

He also told the PM that a law to control the theft of electricity, gas and other services was being enacted on fast track basis, and instructions had been given to vigorously pursue the cases and get the court stay orders vacated at the earliest.

Naek said that the government was trying to amend existing law to provide inexpensive and speedy justice to the people, especially the poor and those involved in minor offences.