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Parliament will not allow any extra constitutional step: Khawaja Asif
May 02, 2023

(File Photo)

Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has said the parliament is the supreme institution and being defender of the constitution will not allow any extra constitutional step. 

Speaking in the National Assembly today, he said the parliament will not surrender its authority.  He said we should get united for the sanctity and dignity of the house by rising above our differences.

The Defense Minister said the elected representatives come to the parliament with the mandate of the people. He said the foundation of our career is based on public service. 

Khawaja Asif said the Supreme Court has sought proceedings of this house which are not hidden from anybody. He said we should provide the court with the proceedings but the parliament should also seek record of their matters.

Khawaja Asif said we are holding dialogue with our opponents but it does not come in the precinct of the court to dictate us for negotiations.

The Defense Minister said that a house committee should also be constituted to examine the cases decided by the judiciary in the past. He said the facts should come before the masses.

Taking the floor, Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Shazia Marri said the Supreme Court should not interfere in the matters of the parliament which is the mother of all institutions in democracy.   She said the judiciary should also understand the sanctity and respect of the parliament.

Responding to the points of a member, Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Shazia Marri said that the government will continue to raise the plight of oppressed Kashmiri people at all the international forums.

She said our stand on the Kashmir dispute is very clear. She said Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has brought more clarity to the foreign policy. She said the Foreign Minister will visit India to attend the SCO meeting.

Aslam Bhootani was of the view that the house should not provide its proceedings to the Supreme Court.  He said we respect the court but it should also respect the parliament.

Muhammad Abu Bakar said the parliament should defend the constitution.

Noor Alam Khan said under the constitution, no court can seek proceedings of the parliament.  He however said that the public accounts committee has the authority to seek records of the accounts of courts and other institutions.

The house today adopted a motion authorizing the Speaker to constitute a special committee to investigate into the recent audio leak of the son of former Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar.

It was moved by Shahida Akhtar Ali.

Responding to a calling attention notice, Parliamentary Secretary for Communications Shahida Akhtar Ali said that work for the reconstruction of the Amri Indus River Bridge damaged by rains will soon be started. She said this project will cost seventeen million rupees and will be completed in a matter of two to three months.