JI, MWM onboard against possible change in law: PTI

Qureshi says PML-N putting pressure on judges by harassing them

KARACHI:

Former foreign minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that the “Jamaat-e-Islami and Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen are onboard with us” against the possible amendment in the Constitution by the ruling coalition parties to gain political mileage, while PTI President Pervaiz Elahi has contacted the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan for the purpose.

“Ji chief Sirajul Haq has said that he will support the Constitution and law while MWM has also assured us of its support,” Qureshi said while addressing a news conference at the Insaf House here on Sunday.

PTI Sindh President Ali Zaidi, former Sindh governor Imran Ismail, Haleem Adil Sheikh and others were present.

“The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the Pakistan Democratic Movement parties have started attacking the Constitution,” the PTI vice president said, adding that in the last 42 hours, the PML-N posts were not been hidden from anyone.

The former foreign minister accused the ruling PML-N of putting “pressure on the judges by harassing them”. He announced filing a reference against the PML-N.

ایم کیو ایم سمیت سب پرانے اتحادیوں سے رابطے بحال ہو چکے ہیں، ایم کیوایم کو پی ڈی ایم سے اتحاد کا سیاسی طورپر بہت نقصان ہوا ہے، ایم کیوایم کے اندر یہ سوچ موجود ہے کہ پی ڈی ایم کے ساتھ مزید چلنے کا کوئی فائدہ نہیں،

— Ch Parvez Elahi (@ChParvezElahi) April 2, 2023

Turning his guns towards the PPP, Qureshi said, “Today, the Constitution is being attacked. The very Constitution, which was introduced by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1973, is being attacked by his grandson (Bilawal Bhutto Zardari).”

Qureshi asked, “What will happen if Bhutto’s grandson joins the opposition … it is a big journey from Bhutto to Zardari.”

Qureshi said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif invited them on the floor of the Senate. “Shahbaz says sit and talk to save Pakistan from political conflict. But now they say that they will not talk to Imran Khan. We are ready for new elections, but their speaker is creating obstacles in the way.

“This is a test for political parties. An important case is to be developed on Monday (today).”

On Saturday, he said, the attorney general was called and asked questions, but he could not give concrete answers. It was planned to call the finance and defence secretaries on Monday. “Our petition aims to hold elections within 90 days. The decision was accepted by the Election Commission when the schedule was given.”

Read more: PTI to contact 'like-minded' political parties to stand with Constitution

Every effort was being made to delay the elections, he said, adding that their excuses continued. “Is there a need to amend the law for the law that they (ruling coalition parties) want to make? We understand that this is not possible without a constitutional amendment. Trichotomy means that the executive has its role and the judiciary has its role.”

He urged the political parties to take a decision, adding that those parties that wanted to change the Constitution “should not work quietly”.

Qureshi said that he would pay tribute to the lawyers because they had played a key role in freedom from political factions.

He requested the lawyers to throw their weight in the fold of the Constitution, against the constitution-breaking powers. “In this democratic era, social activities regarding freedom of expression are labelled as a crime and banned.”

“If a channel speaks freely, its owner is arrested. Imran Khan has decided that the PTI will stand with the constitution. Imran Khan always supported the Constitution. When our government ended, we did not threaten anyone. We have not violated the Constitution in our political struggle.”

Qureshi said that MQM was “our ally”, adding that the Sindh government abused Sindh. “But today the MQM has united with the same PPP.”