‘Supremacy of parliament’: President, PM’s decisions can’t be challenged, says Naek

Says court orders don’t apply to them.

KARACHI:

The president and prime minister of Pakistan have constitutional protection, and their decisions cannot be challenged, Law Minister Farooq H Naek said on Saturday, underlining the continuing persistence of the government in the face of judicial pressure.

While talking to the media outside the Sindh High Court, Naek said, “Court orders do not apply to them because parliament is a supreme forum which makes the law. Running a government is the executive’s job and the judiciary only has to ensure the implementation of the law.”

He, however, said that the government respects the Supreme Court and does not want any clash between the institutions.

Keen to dispel the impression of tensions between the institutions, Naek said that “We both, judiciary and government, have to relinquish this impression.” He added that not only was an independent judiciary necessary, but there was a dire need to make the whole judicial system free from influence by appointing competent, impartial judges and law officers on merit.

Naek also revealed that the government was contemplating introducing evening courts to accelerate the proceedings of an excess number of pending cases in courts, and would consult the judiciary on the matter.

Responding to a question, he said that government was seriously thinking of appointing women judges, given their shortage in the judiciary. Naek added that bar councils and the law department should have the right to nominate some people for the appointment of judges as well.  “In this connection we can bring an amendment to the law,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 29^th, 2012.