Govt disowns hostile NAB missive

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Friday disowned a ‘hostile’ letter to the Supreme Court by an official of the NAB.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Friday disowned a ‘hostile’ letter to the Supreme Court by an official of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), dubbing it the opinion of an individual and not the government.

Earlier this week, National Accountability Bureau’s prosecutor-general Irfan Qadir challenged the legality of an executive order, leading to the restoration of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and his fellow judges last year. The challenge was issued in a written rejoinder in a case regarding the Bank of Punjab scam currently being heard by the Supreme Court. But the advocate-on-record refused to file the same.

Political and legal experts saw the rejoinder as a veiled threat to an increasingly independent judiciary, which is currently hearing a multitude of cases against the government, its policies and the jewel in its crown, the 18th amendment. The apex court has also been insisting that the government implement its December 2009 verdict on the National Reconciliation Ordinance by reopening all cases of corruption closed by NAB, including  those against President Asif Ali Zardari. But on Friday, the premier shot down such speculation and insisted that the government doesn’t have any plans to go against the judiciary.

“As far as the NAB letter to the Supreme Court is concerned, it may be somebody’s personal opinion but it is certainly not that of the government,” Gilani told reporters at a news conference. But did the letter reflect the government’s mindset? “Not at all,” came the premier’s brisk reply.

Gilani also tried to allay fears about a clash between the government and the judiciary in the near future. “Both the executive and the judiciary are going through an evolutionary phase and will end up stronger as a result,” he said.

Chashma-Jhelum link canal

Gilani also said he has called a meeting of all provincial chief ministers on Tuesday, in order to settle a row among the federating units over the reopening of the Chashma-Jhelum link canal.

Members of the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) from Sindh and the federal area resigned earlier this week to protest against the Irsa chairman’s unilateral decision to open the canal in order to give Punjab extra water.

There are reports the premier is personally mediating between Sindh and Punjab. And Tuesday’s meeting, officials say, will see key decisions on the restructuring of Irsa and, with a view to streamlining water-sharing arrangements between the provinces, a review of the 1991 water sharing accord.

No sanctions on media

Gilani also assured journalists that the government has no plans of placing any sanctions or censorship code on the media and fears regarding this are unfounded.

“We will never do that; how can you fear such a thing from a party like ours?” said the premier to a journalist who asked if the unanimous resolution in the Punjab Assembly against the media was a sign of things to come.

Regarding his plans to hold a national security conference, the prime minister said the government would not take hasty decisions. He said the government would incorporate the suggestions of a parliamentary committee on national security in the formation of a new anti-terror policy.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 10^th, 2010.