Not job of judiciary to build dams, get buildings demolished: Bilawal

LAHORE: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Thursday that democracy would not have been possible without an independent judiciary, and the PPP has great respect for the judiciary, but unfortunately, "the judiciary did not render its fair role in the past".

"Without an independent judiciary, no democracy could flourish in the country. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto gave the Constitution and democracy to Pakistan. Democracy is just a dream without a constitution. A lawyer established Pakistan and furthermore, a lawyer Zulfikar Ali Bhutto gave a constitution and democracy to Pakistan."

The PPP leader made these remarks while interacting with the legal fraternity on the invitation of the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA), local media outlets reported. He said that instead of deciding issues about the fundamentals of legal framework or "confronting a full-blown assault on democracy that has resulted in this selected regime, some judges took it upon themselves to busy themselves, the courts and the legal community on deciding which building should be demolished and which should stay".

"The judiciary of Pakistan is a place for the battle of legal ideas [...] it is not a place for us to decide where or where not to build a dam." The PPP chairman further said that the work of the chief justice is to interpret the Constitution.

The party has announced a march on Islamabad on February 27 "for protecting democracy, the country, its Constitution and the economy", said Bilawal. He further said the party seeks help in the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Shedding light on the existing accountability system in Pakistan, the Bhutto scion said “my father has been facing forged cases since the last 30 years, my mother faced imprisonment for a long time but history could not be changed", adding that history gave its verdict and her parents were acquitted from the cases.

"We are not fighting for a party or a family, but against the whole system which is weakening Pakistan." He further stated that Pakistan needs a fair accountability system. Separately, talking to journalists, Bilawal said, "Pakistan is moving away from democracy and turning towards dictatorship under the leadership of Imran Khan."

Bilawal said that he would show the public "who stands with the selected government and who stands with the Parliament”. He further said that every member of the Parliament would run a campaign to bring a no-confidence motion against the PTI-led government. “We will show the public who stands with them during the economic crisis and democratic decline” he added.