On Tuesday, Federal Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif demanded a parliamentary examination of the judiciary’s controversial decisions. Speaking at the National Assembly’s session, he asserted that the Supreme Court has no constitutional right to direct elected parliament members.
Asif emphasized the importance of Parliament and parliamentarians in protecting their Prime Minister, suggesting that the practice of ousting Prime Ministers should come to an end. He also requested that the Speaker ask the Supreme Court for the minutes of their proceedings.
The Defense Minister reminded the assembly that the people of Pakistan elected the parliamentarians to make decisions, arguing that it is not the role of the Supreme Court to provide guidance to them. According to Asif, the Constitution does not grant the Supreme Court the authority to establish panchayats. He affirmed that Parliament would protect the Constitution and not allow actions beyond its scope.
Citing judicial history, Asif questioned the Supreme Court’s past actions, such as allowing General Musharraf to amend the constitution. He called for accountability in addressing these historical decisions.
Lastly, the minister highlighted the financial challenges faced by parliamentarians, noting their relatively low monthly salary of Rs 1,68,000, and questioned the extent of their resources.
