Some ‘like-minded’ persons interfering in state affairs: SAPM

LAHORE: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Accountability Irfan Qadir has said it was regrettable that some specific people, for whom the word like-minded was being used, were interfering in the state affairs and seemed to be attracted to a specific political faction. He said the government wanted to strengthen the judiciary and not undermine it, so that the country could come out of the current challenges. Addressing a press conference at the Governor’s House here on Saturday, the SAPM said: “We want the country to progress and all state institutions should work within their limits.”

A single person should not dominate any institution and the foremost duty of every citizen was to stay loyal to the state and then show obedience to the Constitution and law, he said. No one was above the Constitution and law, he said adding that every person was subservient to the Constitution and law. Qadir said that legislation was the privilege of parliament and it had nothing to do with the judiciary. Judiciary had the right to point out whether any section of the law, passed by parliament, was not in line with the Constitution, he said.

The SAPM said that parliament and the government were the State, not the judiciary, hence all citizens were subservient to the State. “We are with the judiciary and we do not want to weaken it at all.” The incumbent attorney general said State was showing patience. However, he added, the State was not weak at all. The National Assembly was going to complete its tenure in the coming August, and then elections could be held in the country at the same time. Holding elections in different provinces and the Centre on different dates was not financially feasible, he clarified. He said that personal egos should be set aside and the Constitution should be respected in the larger interest of the country.

To a question, Qadir said that a judge could be appointed in accordance with the Constitution and law, and he/ she could be removed through the Supreme Judicial Council. Establishment of constitutional court could help manage the backlog in courts. Some big political cases and special cases could be tried in the constitutional courts to lessen the burden of courts, he concluded.