SC verdict against Nawaz based on weak argument: SM Zafar

LAHORE: Former federal minister and noted lawyer SM Zafar has said the masses want an end to the environment of confrontation among state institutions.

Speaking at a seminar held on harmony among state institutions here, he said the masses were against confrontation among the institutions and believed that the present crisis could be resolved by taking the path of truth.

He said the Supreme Court’s verdict against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was based on a weak argument. He said that the people had constitutional right to franchise, therefore, the Senate and National Assembly polls should be held in time to provide them with an opportunity to choose their government.

Press Institute of National Affairs (PINA) Secretary General Altaf Hassan Qureshi said the seminar had been organised for getting positive suggestions to steer the country out of the present situation. Dialogue at national level was very important as there seemed a lack of trust and balance between the institutions, he said. He suggested formation of a national council that could resolve such confrontations. He urged the political parties not to take their issues to courts.

PML-N central media coordinator Muhammad Mehdi called for a change in behaviour of political parties and avoiding any non-political step that could worsen the situation.

He said after signing of the famous Charter of Democracy back in 2006, it was hoped that no political party would support any non-political and anti-democracy step but the emergence of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf dampened the hopes.

Awami National Party’s Ehsan Wyne said that only continuity of democracy could resolve the problems facing the masses and warned that the country was bifurcated in 1971 only because of the anti-democratic steps.

Prof Dr Amjad Magsi lamented that powers of the parliament were being used by some other institution. He called for empowering the parliament to resolve the issues.

Former MNA and writer Bushra Rehman lamented the political parties had been ignoring their members in the decision-making process, and had this been not the situation, the latter would have stood with their leadership during harsh times. Prof Shabbir Anwar, Rauf Tahir, Javaid Nawaz, Rehmat Ali Mujahid, Prof Dr Rasheed Ahmad and Sajjad Mir also spoke on the occasion.