Parliament’s right of legislation cannot be taken away: Shehbaz

LONDON (APP): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Thursday said legislation was the right of the Parliament and all the institutions should perform their role within the limits determined by the constitution because it was imperative for country’s integrity and security and for progress and prosperity of the people.
Talking to media here, he said the coalition government was trying its best to tackle the challenges and Pakistan would come out of the difficulties. He said justice should be seen to be done, adding betterment of people and country meant that the system should be run according to the constitution. “Everyone will have to play his role for the supremacy of the constitution. Everybody has to respect law and constitution.”
He said Parliament’s right to legislate was laid down in the constitution and this right could not be taken away, adding at present Parliament was playing its effective role. He said the previous government victimized the opposition and put its leaders in jail in fabricated cases and they had no place to seek justice
Members of opposition were oppressed, were not even spared in sickness and women were arrested on Eid days and nobody cared, he recalled. He said now others were getting speedy bails in dozens of cases at once and it all showed the double standards which nobody liked. Double standards were not healthy and beneficial for any society, he added. To a question, he said due to better government policies, record production of wheat was achieved this year.
PM, SG Scotland discuss Commonwealth affairs: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif held a warm and cordial meeting with Secretary General of Commonwealth of the Nations Ms. Patricia Scotland on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Leaders’ Event that took place here on Friday to welcome King Charles III in the latter’s capacity as the new Head of the Commonwealth.
During their conversation, the Prime Minister briefed the Secretary General on how he envisaged re-imagining the Commonwealth in light of the major challenges confronting the global community. He also assured the SG that Pakistan was keen to work closely with the member states and the Secretary General to make the organization more relevant and effective in areas such as climate change and for enhancing the role of the youth.
In this context, the Prime Minister also informed the Secretary General that Pakistan would host the tenth Commonwealth Youth Ministerial Meeting which had to be postponed on account of the unprecedented floods that had caused severe damage to the country’s economy and infrastructure. The Prime Minister also extended an invitation to the Secretary General to undertake an official visit to Pakistan which the SG assured him that she would do so at an early date.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended a meeting of Commonwealth leaders in London on Friday. During his address to the meeting, the Prime Minister called upon the leaders of the Commonwealth countries to mark the accession of King Charles III as the dawn of a new era and the opening of new vistas and fresh avenues for the remarkable family of nations known as the Commonwealth.
The Prime Minister urged the leaders to reimagine and reinvigorate the Commonwealth and infuse it with ever greater synergy and even stronger sense of purpose. The Prime Minister also spoke of his Government’s commitment to equipping the Pakistani youth with the right kind of skill sets and opportunities. He added that his Government was empowering the women and mainstreaming the marginalized youth, religious and ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities and transgender community.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also interacted with with His Majesty King Charles III and the Prime Minister of Britain Mr. Rishi Sunak on the sidelines of the meeting of other eaders of Commonwealth countries on Friday. The Prime Minister felicitated both the British diginatries for the excellent arrangements made for the elaborate two-day ceremonies being held to celebrate the coronation of the new King.
The Prime Minister also expressed deep appreciation for the UKs generous assistance in the wake of the disastrous floods that struck Pakistan last year. He suggested that both countries needed to enhance the bilateral relations in various fields. In this regard, the Prime Minister proposed the establishment of a joint commission that would be headed by the leaders of the two countries. His Majesty King Charles III and the British PM Rishi Sunak also showed their interest in further strengthening the bilateral relations between the two countries and praised the Pakistan community based in the UK for its role in the development of the UK.