MNAs close ranks against SC on poll funds

The ruling coalition forged ranks on Wednesday against judiciary, hitting back at the Supreme Court decision regarding release of funds to Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for holding general elections in Punjab.

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, while addressing the National Assembly, unleashed trenchant criticism against apex court judges, terming their order an assault on parliament.

“The Supreme Court’s order regarding election funds is an insult to parliament,” Bilawal told lawmakers. “How could anyone order [us] to break the Constitution and disobey parliament,” he asked.

“Due to the stubbornness of a few elements, parliament, which is the mother of all institutions and the Constitution, is being repeatedly insulted. The Supreme Court is saying that parliament should be ignored. We are not ready to accept it,” he said.

Stressing that the time had come to draw a line, the foreign minister said that the privilege of parliament had been violated, therefore, the matter should now be taken up in the House Privileges Committee.

He also referred to Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf’s letter to the Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial in which he urged the judiciary to respect parliament’s legislative domain. “A letter will not work,” he said. “Matter should be referred to the Privileges Committee.”

The foreign minister said that the Supreme Court wanted to impose a minority decision by calling it a majority verdict. “The drama that has been going on in the country for several weeks has created a constitutional crisis.”

He warned that an attempt was being made that “we take a step against the Constitution” but “representing the Pakistan Peoples Party, I want to make it clear that neither in 90 days nor in any other situation do we want to violate the Constitution”.

“Even in the past, we did not violate the Constitution at the behest of any dictator or the chief justice and today if the Supreme Court says that we ignore the order of the parliament, we are not ready to accept it,” he added.

He also questioned how the court could give an order to the prime minister for the release of funds. “It is for parliament to decide where and how the public money will be spent,” he said. “No prime minister will be disqualified for contempt of court, anymore.”

Commenting his efforts for a political dialogue, the foreign minister said that if the judiciary stayed within its limits and parliament within its limits, “it will be easier to convince the allies” on the issues of negotiations.

Taking the floor, Finance Minister Dar said also said that the Supreme Court’s order to the government to release funds was an unconstitutional act, therefore, “I request the house to guide us on this matter”.

Law Minister Tarar said that four judges on the seven-member bench which initially heard the suo motu case about the election in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had dismissed the petition.

“This matter was also discussed in this house and this house accepts the judgment of the four judges. The house also instructed the federal government that it will not be bound by the directive issued in the minority decision,” the law minister said.

“The house, through a resolution held that it was a political case. The house has ordered that the money cannot be given for elections,” the minister added. “Constitutionally, it is the absolute power of this house to reject the demand for funds.”

Tarar told the house that that the matter was again considered in the cabinet on Wednesday and the matter was being presented in the house for consideration. Later, the National Assembly session was adjourned till Thursday today.