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Weak judges have to be borne with: PM

By our correspondents
January 23, 2018

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Monday said judges had to make historic judgments and if a weak individual was appointed as judge, then repercussions had to be borne," he said.

He was talking to the Executive Body of Parliamentary Reporters Association, which called on him at the Prime Minister’s Office here. The association delegation was led by its President Qurban Baloch and Patron Tahir Khalil.

The premier said every institution in the country was trying to carve its space in the state structure, adding that everywhere in the world Parliament had oversight on the judiciary. He said in the United States of America, a judge’s entire life was inspected before appointment.

"People should know who the judges are. They have to decide matters of life and death … matters worth billions of rupees. They have to make historic judgments. If a weak individual is appointed as judge, then the repercussions have to be borne," he said. He said no one questioned dictators who had their apartments in Dubai and London from where they made speeches but politicians were facing the NAB and even declared as a ‘Hijackers and Sicilian Mafias’.

Abbasi said former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif will lead the PML-N election campaign in the upcoming general election. “No one will vote for me or Shahbaz Sharif but for Nawaz Sharif in the upcoming election,” he said.

Answering a question, he said there was never a war threat to Pakistan by the United States. “What the Pakistan Army has done is unmatchable, as what we achieved in Pakistan was never achieved by the American forces in Afghanistan despite spending billions of dollar,” he said.

The US has spent $10 to $12 billion in Afghanistan, which is more than Pakistan’s whole defense budget but still it has not achieved anything. He said no one had done more than Pakistan in the war against terror.

He said Pakistan had won the war against terrorism by sacrificing the lives of 6,500 security forces’ personnel and thousands of civilians. He said if the country had been under democratic rule at the time of 9/11, the situation would have been very different today.

Talking about the cursing of Parliament by Imran Khan, Prime Minister Abbasi said he was surprised that an elected legislator and party had cursed Parliament.

Answering a question, the prime minister said he did not see any threat to Parliament adding that it was the opposition’s job to protest while the government task was to continue its work and people will be the judge in the elections.

“The elections would be held in July this year,” he said, adding that no matter when the assemblies were dissolved the general elections will be held in July. The prime minister also did not see any conspiracy against him saying, “I don’t believe in conspiracies.”

“What conspiracy can be hatched against a prime minister whose government will be completing its tenure in the coming four months?” He said dialogue among the political parties will now be held only at the polling stations in the upcoming general elections.

The prime minister said the government could be dissolved if Nawaz Sharif and the party decide to dissolve it or the opposition dares to put a no-confidence motion in Parliament. “These are the two options. There is no third option. People sent us in Parliament for their welfare and not for dissolving the assemblies,” he remarked.

He said what the PML-N had done in its five-year tenure had never been done by the successive governments in the last 65 years. He said the LPG quota was distributed in the past on political considerations but the PML-N government ended this practice and now it was given on Rs7,000 per ton.

Responding to a question, he said the party will decide about the interim prime minister according to the law. “The decision will not be made like it was made in the past when people in the PM Office used to take money for corruption. I won't let any such person become a caretaker prime minister. Here gas connections and 45,000 armed licenses were sold,” he said.

To another question about any NRO, the prime minister said: “Thieves seek an NRO. We have not looted the money, so why we seek an NRO. We had a chance to make a NRO with General Musharraf but never opted for it and now those who benefitted from the NRO are either in PML-Q, PPP or the PTI.”

To a question about the CPEC and concerns of some sections about China as the new East India Company, the prime minister did not agree with the quizzing journalist and said comparing Chinese investment and East India company was wrong, as the East India Company came to the Subcontinent with an army to conquer and after conquering Subcontinent they went for trade, but Chinese were helping Pakistan by making investments for its prosperity.

To another question about the involvement of Chinese in crimes in Pakistan, the premier said there were 20,000 Chinese in Pakistan and the Chinese government had taken a strict notice of involvement of some of its nationals in crimes in Pakistan.

Answering yet another question, he said consultation process was going on between the government and chairman NAB on appointment of NAB prosecutor general. “They have sent five names and we have given them our views on five names sent by the NAB. We have also sent three names for the post to the NAB chairman,” he said.

Talking about Khatam-e-Nabuwat (Finality of the Prophethood), the prime minister said the bill was passed by all the parties when the parliamentary committee sent it to Parliament for approval. At the time of approval, he said, Senator Hamdullah had pointed out discrepancy in the section but the opposition, including the PPP, PTI and other parties, did not agree with Senator Hamdullah.

“It was only the PML-N which supported Senator Hamdullah’s point of view. If the amendment of Senator Hamdullah had been accepted at that time, the issue would have settled at that time,” he said.

He said the Raja Zafarul Haq Report was being examined and would be made public after complete examination. Asked if his government will present the last budget, the prime minister said the federal budget was being prepared but the government will decide whether to present it or leave it to the next government.

Talking about increase in child abuse cases in the country, the prime minister said the Punjab police had reached close to the culprit. “The results of police reforms are being seen and even the KP police have sought Punjab’s assistance for forensic tests of some incidents,” he said.

He said strong laws with regard to child abuse were available and there was need to implement them. To another question, he said those who negotiated with the Faizabad Dharna protesters were part of the government and this decision was taken in a meeting under him.

Meanwhile, talking to Reuters at the prime minister’s chamber at the Parliament House, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Monday said his government will push ahead with plans to seize control of charities run by an Islamist designated terrorist by Washington, and warned the United States against weakening Pakistan.

“Yes, the government will take over the charities which are sanctioned and not allowed to operate,” Abbasi said. Answering specific questions about the proposed takeover of JuD and FIF, Abbasi said the civilian government had the backing of the powerful military. “Everybody is on board, everybody is on the same page, everybody is committed to implementation of UN sanctions,” he said. He declined to set a deadline.