Experts criticise coalition govt’s ‘autocratic’ approach

The experts believe that the attitude of the coalition government does not appear democratic; every institution is prioritising its ego over Pakistan. They also suggested that the judiciary should pay attention to pending cases of the common man.

“The individuals within the government coalition are holding press conferences targeting the judges, opening fronts in Parliament, and engaging in rhetoric against the judiciary,” Naveed Hussain, Chief Editor of The Express Tribune, said while commenting on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's remarks regarding the judiciary during the talk show "Experts" on Express News.

The seasoned journalist labelled the government's defamation law as an attempt to curb media freedom of expression, noting that it is being introduced undemocratically. He asserted that the government seeks to impose its own agenda.

He commended the current Supreme Court, noting its decision to make Parliament superior and delegate powers to it through the "Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Act 2023".

The senior analyst criticised the former Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government, highlighting that it amended the law to decrease the remand period of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Hussain contended that the manner in which the election laws are being amended suggests that the government is sidelining democratic values while also suppressing the media to silence its opponents.

Express News Bureau Chief in Islamabad, Amir Ilyas Rana, highlighted that Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa had previously stressed that ordinances should only be issued under significant compulsion.

Rana believes that when all branches of government prioritise personal egos over Pakistan's interests, institutional clashes are inevitable. He emphasised the Parliament's authority to enact and modify laws, while the Supreme Court has the power of interpretation.

The Bureau Chief in Islamabad asserted that while courts are occupied with cases involving politicians, there are 57,000 pending cases of ordinary citizens in the Supreme Court.

He stressed that the Supreme Court should prioritise these cases and make significant decisions to alleviate the backlog and address the needs of the common people.

Faisal believes that the utmost desire for power and authority exists among individuals in Pakistan, leading to a detrimental focus on personal agendas rather than the country's welfare, and everyone wants to prove that they are indispensable for Pakistan.

Express News Bureau Chief in Lahore, Mohammad Ilyas, stated that labelling the judiciary as "black sheep" is inappropriate. He argues that if parliamentarians view themselves as superior to the judiciary, they may continue using such derogatory language.

Ilyas suggested that institutions should respect their boundaries, and parliamentarians should choose their words more carefully.

He emphasised that for institutions to maintain supremacy, they must be respected. Disagreements should not devolve into mudslinging; instead, both institutions should show mutual respect, he added.

Chairman of the Pakistan Ulema-e-Islam Council, Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi, pointed out that when there's interference in each other's work, tension and conflicts are inevitable. Currently, there's a continuous clash between the government and the judiciary, also shown on TV screens in the form of tickers, he added.

Ashrafi scrutinised the judicial system, raising the question of whether all cases in the country have been resolved, if justice has been served for the poor, and if the jails are empty, given that courts seem preoccupied with cases involving the elite class throughout the day.