KARACHI (NNI): Lamenting the alleged double standards of the higher judiciary, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Sunday announced that he will introduce an amendment to the National Accountability Ordinance to bring the institution under its purview.
The minister said there was corruption in every institution, including judiciary and executive. “We are following a ‘holy cow’ system, where laws are separate laws for the common man and those holy cows. The PPP opposes such a system,” Bilawal said while addressing an event at the Sindh Assembly to mark golden jubilee of the 1973 Constitution.
The PPP chairman further said: “We will not tolerate a dual justice system, You can re-write the Constitution to save your ‘favorite’, but to send Benazir Bhutto’s government home, just an editorial is enough.” It is difficult for parties like the PPP to defend such practices, he declared. Bilawal criticized that it’s not possible that if a prime minister belongs to Larkana, he will be hanged. “We are waiting for justice for the people’s leader. On the contrary, if the prime minister from Zaman Park hurts his leg, the court waits for a week. The judges are making a mockery of themselves,” he asserted. The PPP, the minister said, has been saying from day one that the NAB was created for political engineering. “I wonder what the judges are trying to look for in the NAB law amendment. If they want to disband NAB, go ahead, we are not interested in it,” he declared.
He further stressed that there are no sacred cows, and there should be an equal system of justice. “There should be one law for the common man as well as a judge,” he insisted.
Bilawal further remarked that the people meant to provide justice are fighting among themselves. “How will they ensure justice? What hope will the public have if such institutions fight among themselves?”
He further claimed there are reports that one judge is unable to talk to another. In such situations, he maintained, non-democratic forces will have a field day. “We are going through political, economic and constitutional crises and the common man has to bear the burden of the current problems.”
The minister was of the view that if politicians keep fighting with each other, it will cause more damage. “How will we tackle inflation and hunger if we keep fighting among ourselves?” Bilawal reminded the gathering that terrorism is rampant once again, and terrorists are also benefiting from the internal conflicts. From terrorism to floods, the solution to all the problems still lies in the Constitution. If implementation of the constitution starts, the country can get out of its problems, he added.
Earlier, the PPP leader said the Sindh Assembly was the first to pass a resolution in favor of Pakistan. He added the Constitution provided basic rights to each citizen.
“Ever since the Constitution was made, it has been constantly attacked. Some forces cannot tolerate that the provinces and people get their rights,” the foreign minister stated. He added the Constitution was violated during the Gen Zia era, while Gen Musharraf also attacked the Constitution. The damage from these attacks is still being felt, he claimed.
Bilawal remarked that a prime minister was brought in whose parliament was not interested in the people and their issues. However, that PM was removed through a vote of no-confidence. He claimed the conspiracy to bring in this prime minister was against the Constitution.
“Imran Khan has divided politics and every institution, as well as the judiciary, media and establishment. He may have gone, but that mentality still prevails,” the minister commented. He wondered how long the country will suffer from the damage inflicted over the last three years.
Bilawal suggests amending NAB law to cover judiciary also
