No elected PM completed tenure in country’s history, says Marriyum

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said all the constitutional institutions should respect parliament as it is the most powerful institution of the country. She was addressing a ceremony in Islamabad to mark completion of 70 years of the parliament.

She said it is unfortunate to note that in country’s 70-year history no elected prime minister completed her or his mandated term. She said students of politics should think why elected assemblies from time to time were dissolved.

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif advanced democracy in the country, she added. She urged all institutions to uphold supremacy of law and the Constitution. She added that parliament was the only institution which was elected by the people. If parliament was strengthened and empowered it would take up masses issue, she added.

She regretted that throughout the country’s history the parliament remained most insecure.

She pointed out that the country achieved development goals, moved ahead in all spheres of life and its standing improved globally during the periods when democratic governments were in place.

She said it is the parliament which gave right to information, right to education, right to due process and right to fair trial by amending the Constitution. She said the country made all round progress during the last four years. We want rule of masses through democracy, adding continuity of democratic term. The minister of state urged the participants of the event to study constitution as without knowing it they would not be aware of their rights and laws related to it.

She said Nawaz Sharif presented himself before accountability and there is no charge of corruption against him. Meanwhile, the minister felicitated Pakistani film director Jamshed Mehmood Raza popularly known as Jami for winning a top award at the Locarno film festival. In a statement issued here, she said the award was a befitting recognition of his talent as a film-maker at the international level. She said the selection of Mehnaz Alvi along with Jami was a great honour for Pakistan.           —Agencies