Upholding Constitution: Democratic forces to challenge any attempt to derail democracy, says PM

Says parliament is the true representative of 200 million Pakistanis.

ISLAMABAD:

Faced with a grueling political crisis, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif once again made it clear on Wednesday that anyone intending to derail democracy will be challenged by parliament and all democratic forces in the country.

Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, Premier Nawaz — who appeared for a record fifth time in the house during this session — appreciated parliament’s resolve to uphold the Constitution and democratic values. “Parliament is the true representative of 200 million Pakistanis,” he added.

“Governments come and go, prime ministers come and go. But keeping faith in democracy and the Constitution is what ensures that democracy survives,” he said.



“Nine out of 10 parties, with diverse ideologies, have voted in favour of the [pro-democracy] resolution,” he said while referring to a resolution passed by the National Assembly, which had unanimously rejected the protesting parties’ demands for the prime minister’s resignation and dissolution of the assemblies.

“Such unity over the issue of democracy is unprecedented in the history of Pakistan,” he added. “I thank all political parties, lawyers, journalists, civil society, businesspersons and minorities, who supported the resolution.”

The prime minster said that he had taken an oath to protect the Constitution, and he would never renege. “I will uphold and protect the Constitution,” he said.

Talking about his own political struggle, Nawaz Sharif said his and Shahbaz Sharif’s nomination papers for the 2008 parliamentary elections were rejected and yet they campaigned and accepted the election results with an open heart.



“We did not cry foul even though we had a legitimate concern since the party’s chief was unable to submit nomination papers,” he said, adding that after the 2008 polls, his party had also accepted Pakistan Peoples Party’s mandate.

The prime minister said that when he had visited PTI chairman Imran Khan at hospital soon after the 2013 election victory, Imran had congratulated him and assured that he would play his role in a ‘constructive opposition’ and would support the agenda of economic progress.

The premier said there should also be a debate on why and how the prevailing political crisis brewed.

Touching upon the topic of electoral reforms, Nawaz said he had met a Mutahidda Quami Movement (MQM) delegation in the morning and they had agreed on the policy of reforms in the country. “The 33-member parliamentary committee for electoral reforms will play a crucial role in bringing electoral reforms,” he added.

Briefing on talks

Later Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique briefed the house on the negotiations with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT). “There have been four rounds of negotiations between a PTI team and a government negotiating committee – and ‘countless’ phone conversations. Today, the negotiations will continue,” he said as he requested the PTI not to slam doors shut on this process.

He said the all the PTI demands’ – except one for the prime minister’s resignation – had already been or would be accepted. These include the demand for formation of a technocrats’ committee along with a commission to look into the election rigging, he added. “In spite of acceptance of the demands and the Supreme Court’s decision, the PTI has not cleared the Constitution Avenue,” he added.

Rafique claimed that according to his knowledge even senior PTI leaders had suggested to their party chief to back down from his demand for the premier’s resignation. “But now it is a matter of pride for a man who has said that ‘I will make him resign,’ and so he is not budging,” he added.

About to the PAT demands, the railways minister said if they should present if have a reforms package. “And we will give them the legal platform of parliament to execute it,” he added.

He also requested Imran Khan to be more accessible. “We were never given access to Imran Khan. I know he is a big leader, but no one is bigger than Pakistan,” he added.

The minister also dispelled speculation about a possible crackdown on the participants of PAT and PTI sit-ins. “A crackdown was never our intention, and will not be a part of our plan,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 28^th, 2014.