Parliament, judiciary must avoid confrontation: Safma

LAHORE: Safma Secretary General Imtiaz Alam Tuesday said the three-member Supreme Court bench had sensibly created an opportunity to retreat from the brink of disaster though an intimidating crowd of government allies picketed its gates.

In a statement, he said the chief justice had asked the parties to agree on the next general elections timeframe. But, he said, the post-IK arbitrary attacks on military installations and political confrontation created a mayhem.

“Political dialogue has become almost impossible after all the respective redlines have been crossed and a process of retribution is being unleashed.”

He said, “Both parliament and judiciary must step back from the brink of constitutional confrontation. The Supreme Court has intelligently given a pause of a week for a way out,” he said.

The Safma secretary general expressed his concern over the arbitrary and humiliating arrest of Imran Khan from the Islamabad High Court premises, attacks on the civil and military installations, loss of human lives, and involvement of superior courts in political polarisation at the cost of their neutrality.

He called upon the chief justice of Pakistan to consider the review petition and appeal of the Election Commission of Pakistan to endorse its constitutional prerogative and discretion to ensure free and fair elections to all assemblies on time.