Constitution is supreme: Imran

Says if parliament starts providing justice, then the courts should shut down.

SUKKUR:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said on Monday that the government is sabotaging courts in order to hide its “thefts”.

Talking to the media at the Sukkur airport, Khan said that the government came into power through the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) and tried to hide its theft of billions of rupees.

The PTI chairman strongly criticised the government and said that it should have resigned when the Supreme Court gave its verdict against the NRO.  “The Supreme Court has issued contempt of court notice to the prime minister, because he did not fulfil his responsibilities.”

Giving out a warning to the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Khan said: “The entire nation will support the judiciary if the government tries to attack it.”

Taking a jibe at the prime minister, he stated: “Yousaf Raza Gilani, instead of obeying the orders of the apex court, is utilising government’s assets to protect President Asif Ali Zardari and has therefore failed to discharge his duties honestly.”

Responsibilities ‘defined’

Khan stated that only the Constitution is supreme and not parliament.

“If parliament starts providing justice, then the courts should shut down… parliament has its own responsibilities, the courts have their own,” he said. “If parliament is to decide all the issues, then what is the use of the judiciary?”

Reiterating his party’s support for the judiciary, Khan said that the PTI will stand with the chief justice and the Supreme Court.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 17^th, 2012.