NRO implementation case: PM dodges court strategy question

Ashraf calls for peaceful coexistence of institutions, says parliament must be strengthened.


Our Correspondent August 06, 2012

ISLAMABAD:


The government seems to be adopting a ‘good cop-bad cop’ strategy as far as its tensions with the judiciary are concerned.


Contrary to a strongly worded statement recently issued by the Presidency after the apex court scrapped a contempt of court law which would have shielded senior government officials from contempt proceedings, Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf maintained a conciliatory tone on Monday.

Speaking during an informal interaction with the media after hosting an Iftar dinner at the PM House, the premier remained focused on matters pertaining to the upcoming elections – and refused to be drawn into a discussion on what he expected would happen on August 8 (tomorrow), when he is to respond to the Supreme Court’s orders about writing a letter to Swiss authorities.

Instead, Prime Minister Ashraf delivered a lecture on peaceful coexistence among state institutions and said that all institutions, including the executive and judiciary, should work for the country.

Maintaining a carefully diplomatic stance, the premier remarked, “It is the right of people to elect their government. They have the right to have a government of their choice,” when asked about the possible outcome of a judiciary-executive tussle that has already cost one Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) prime minister his job.

Elections

Without giving any hint as to when elections would actually be scheduled for, Premier Ashraf said free and fair elections are the only way forward for the country, only insisting that the polls would be held soon.

“We have no other option but to hold free and fair elections,” he said in a speech before his interaction with the media.

Ashraf noted that holding free and fair elections would strengthen parliament and hoped that the present government would achieve this target as it had done ‘other milestones in the past’.

He added that the present government was ‘least bothered’ with whoever was elected in the next elections, saying that this was the only way to strengthen parliament as an institution.

The prime minister wasn’t all reconciliation, however. Premier Ashraf tactfully said that since the independent media and judiciary both enjoy powers, parliament should also be a powerful institution – apparently hinting that the tensions had not been swept under the rug as far as he was concerned.

He further said that the appointment of a chief election commissioner (CEC) was testament to the fact that the government was heading in the right direction, as it sent ‘a positive message’.  An independent CEC as well as a vibrant media and awareness in the people, he assured, also meant that rigging in the polls could be ruled out.

Referring to the media, the prime minister welcomed criticism, saying it was the right of the media – but added a caveat, saying that while the media may well point out the weaknesses of the government, it should not distort facts through sensationalism.

The prime  minister also appealed to the media to ‘keep alive a ray of hope’, saying hopelessness destroyed society.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 7th, 2012.

COMMENTS (17)

Aarif | 11 years ago | Reply

There has been much flurry and fury over the issue of the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), which absolved the political leadership of all old cases against them, mostly instituted by political rivals during the 1990s. The other one, however, which envisaged that no cases would be registered or pursued against Musharraf, remained a tightlipped secret. In the dust raised around the NRO, it was conveniently overlooked that there was yet another NRO, under which the judiciary had absolved itself of any wrongdoing of abrogating the constitution and validating Musharraf’s martial law. The logical thing would have been that while repealing the NRO was meant for politicians, an impartial judiciary should have reviewed the other two as well.

Sadia | 11 years ago | Reply How come 100 judges being terminated for taking oath on P.C.O, and some of the Holy cows are still in the corridors of the Supreme Court, creating mess in the smooth running of the State Business. Chaudhary P.C.O is a” Dajal ” for the Parliamentary Democracy. President must send a reference to Supreme Judicial Council for his removal, as he is defaming and destroying the image of a Honorable Judiciary. Never seen a Judge who humiliates everybody coming to the Court, Who rejects every report submitted by the Govt on the basis of the not correct, who gives comments about the forth coming decisions of the judiciary. Not only he but all the 17 Judges have made a cartel which is giving unanimous decisions, I don’t understand how 17 people can be so particular of everything in a case that a single judge has no objection, this is ridiculous, even me and my Father confront on everyday life affairs, although living in the same house, environment and conditions. Corruption of his son must be published, and make sure that so called Lawyer’s Community and independent Media is not backing him, Because these are the pillars which have made a Rawan a RAM in our country.
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