Address at NDU: State’s survival hinges on rule of law, says PM Nawaz

Lists internal security and revival of economy as country’s biggest challenges.

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Tuesday that the state cannot survive if the constitutional order was not respected and the rule of law not enforced.

“We will have to take the course of constitutional order and abide by the laws of the land because all roads to a strong and unimpeachable national defence emerge from adherence to the constitutional order and rule of law,” the premier said addressing the participants of the national security and war course at the National Defence University.

He said a strong state has to be built on discipline and orderly compliance of its constituents. Pakistan has to pursue this path if it wants to be recognised as a respectable part of the comity of nations.

He said the discipline of a state was a product of its Constitution and was exercised through fearless implementation of its laws while ensuring the fundamental principles of equality before the law, equal treatment before the law and due process of the law.



He said the ascendancy of constitutional order and rule of law were a mandatory requirement of national security. “Only a constitutional order and rule of law can provide for an institutional balance, which can strengthen the state and the society.”

He said political instability and unconstitutional rule divided the nation and reduced its collective strength. “While shaping our future, we will have to keep in mind the mistakes of our past,” he told the participants.

Dwelling on the challenges and opportunities, the prime minister said the greatest challenge was law and order and internal security, which had multiple dimensions, including terrorism and extremism, instability in Balochistan, turmoil in Karachi, and sectarianism.

He appreciated the armed forces, security agencies, police and public servants for their resolute fight against terrorism. “We are eternally grateful to those, who have made the ultimate sacrifice, while defending us and our values. May their souls rest in eternal peace!”

“I am proud of the courage and resilience of the people of Pakistan, as they continue to bravely weather the challenging times,” he added.

He termed it an extremely complex issue, which could not be resolved by any one party or one institution. “It requires a response of the entire nation. All political parties and state institutions have to be in harmony and must be on the same page,” he stressed.

The premier said the other formidable challenge was revival of the economy. Immediately after taking over, his government took a number of steps to put the economy on the path of stability, he added.

These, he said, included the signing of a new standby arrangement with the IMF, clearing of the circular debt, and addressing the energy shortfall through measures ranging from efficient use of existing resources to expanded production.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 5^th, 2014.