LAHORE:
Former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani cut an adamant figure on Sunday as he sought to prove that his disqualification last month had turned him into a crusader for democracy.
In an obvious retort to the chief justice’s comments a day earlier questioning the supremacy of parliament, Gilani said it is parliament which made the Constitution, and thus, is supreme after all.
He was talking to journalists at the Lahore Cantt Station before boarding the Allama Iqbal Express train for Multan. It is his homecoming after the disqualification and the choice of transport suggests a unique preference, which, Gilani said, was at the behest of a close friend. Hundreds of party workers were waiting to receive him at the train station in Multan.
Referring to his party’s move to present two bills, one regarding contempt of court and the other on dual nationality, Gilani said the proposed amendments should be respected and embraced with an “open heart”.
Gilani said it was through the endeavours of Pakistan Peoples Party that the powers of dissolving the assembly were taken from the president and the party was now working to curb the judiciary’s powers via proposed amendments in the contempt of court law.
He added that Article 58(2)(b) has been abolished by parliament to strengthen the position of public representatives and curtail the president’s powers to send the assembly home. He, however, felt the judiciary’s excessive use of the contempt of court ordinance of late defeats the purpose.
“In my opinion, there is no specific law regarding contempt of court,” said Gilani, adding that immunity was granted to public office holders like the prime minister and president so they can “perform their duties freely.”
“What kind of a prime minister was I that the court summoned me every other day? My wish was not to become a political martyr, but only to protect the Constitution.”
Gilani blamed Pervez Musharraf for the ‘oppressive’ contempt law, which the general re-promulgated an ordinance for in 2004. He added it was ironic that a democratic government issued the order to release judges detained by Musharraf.
He said the purpose of the proposed amendment was not to protect a certain prime minister, adding if that was the case the bill would have been presented much earlier. “The sole objective of the amendment is to remove existing ambiguities regarding immunity of public office holders as provided in the Constitution.”
Dual nationality bill
Deliberating on the dual nationality bill, Gilani agreed with PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif’s earlier statements that the bill should only be passed after consensus with all political parties and said the government did not intend to implement any law without first taking into account the opinion of others.
He added that the bill would be referred to the parliamentary committee on law and justice.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 9th, 2012.
COMMENTS (6)
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And his son will win with 50000 votes. So time for %^^^^ for democracy lovers.
He is most definitively a crusader. That's not a compliment
Under his and army watch, drone attacks continue and supplies are reopened.
If this is not crusader, then what is?
Crusader for Democracy ? He should first invest his energy in making his Party Democratic. Currently its run like a Monarchy.
Gilani who ????
We want a ruler like Mercy of Egypt
This man is proud of his conviction.