Punjab’s administration hamstrung due to judiciary: Sana

LAHORE: Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah has said that the government officials are insulted by judges in front of the petitioners, and the Punjab administration has been hamstrung due to the judiciary.

Talking to the media on Punjab Assembly premises on Tuesday, he said that work on the Orange Line train project was stopped by the courts for 22 months, and it took the judges 22 months to give a verdict which could have been given in just 22 days.

He said the prime minister had not talked of discussing the conduct of judges but the remarks they give during the court proceedings. He said judges’ remarks could be discussed in the parliament.

The law minister said that an adjournment motion and a privilege motion would be brought in the assembly to discuss the remarks against the government. However, he added, neither judges should give remarks against the government during the case proceedings nor these remarks should be discussed in the assembly.

Rana Sanaullah said “we respect the judiciary and it should also remain within its constitutional limits”. He said the Punjab administration had become so helpless that the lawyers involved in damaging the court building in Multan could not be arrested.

He said the judiciary was independent and it must stay independent; however some constitutional limits are there which must be observed by the judges. The minister said there is a procedure laid down in the constitution for removal of judges, and any other method must not be used for the purpose. Similarly, he added, there is a laid down procedure for removal of a prime minister from his office, and sacking him on technical grounds was totally wrong.

The Punjab law minister said he was unaware of bringing Abid Boxer to Pakistan. He said the Punjab Police told him the department was not aware of any such development. However, he added, any other department might have brought Boxer back to the country.