Mr Gilani’s speech was frowned upon by a group of lawyers present in the hall against the backdrop of recent row between the executive and the judiciary over transfers and postings of senior government officers supervising corruption scams. — File Photo

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has stressed upon strict adherence to the Constitution that lays emphasis on a well-defined trichotomy of powers to prevent confrontation among state institutions.

“Confrontation between the institutions will never happen if we honour the space guaranteed under the Constitution by never interfering in each other’s domain. We ought to honour the Constitution in its entirety,” the prime minister said on Monday at the foundation-laying ceremony of a new complex of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) at the Supreme Court auditorium.

Mr Gilani’s speech was frowned upon by a group of lawyers present in the hall against the backdrop of recent row between the executive and the judiciary over transfers and postings of senior government officers supervising corruption scams.

The prime minister presented a cheque of Rs200 million to SCBA president Asma Jehangir. The government earlier provided Rs50 million for the complex and Rs40 million for the SCBA library.

He assured lawyers that his government would continue to support bar associations and said it had enacted a law amending Section 57 of the Legal Practitioners’ and Bar Councils Act 1973 to ensure mandatory grants to bar councils and bar associations.

Referring to the Karachi situation, the prime minister said these were troubling days for the country. “Immediate dangers to our national security emanate from internal factors.” He said the unrest in Karachi posed a serious threat to law and order and had implications on the country’s economy.

“We cannot and will not allow terrorists and gangsters to play havoc with the lives of innocent people of Karachi. The government is alive to the situation and doing everything possible to bring the situation back to normalcy.”

Mr Gilani said the Sindh cabinet had decided to taken an across-the-board action against miscreants and the federal government fully supported steps taken by the provincial government.

“We believe that long-term solution to the Karachi problem lies in political dialogue. I am also mindful of the fact that precious lives of lawyers too have been a target of this horrible violence,” the prime minister said.

He expressed the hope that with the cooperation of all political forces and the people of Karachi, the government would foil the designs of nefarious elements and bring the perpetrators of violence to justice.

The prime minister asked the legal fraternity to come forward and submit recommendations for amendments to the law and its procedure so that “we can together strengthen the criminal legal system”.

He said the legal fraternity was aware of flaws within the system which failed to convict those who had committed crimes.

“When such failures become the rule rather than an exception, crime thrives and justice is denied to victims.”

In the face of severe threats, the prime minister admitted, only a few individuals would find the courage to give evidence, but alternative forms of evidence in nature of availability of modern devices providing unimpeachable circumstantial evidence could be made admissible in courts.

“Together we have to lay strong legal foundations to challenge the curse of violence that is threatening our social, economic and political development. “During these difficult times there are heightened expectations from lawyers to make the legal system effective and relevant to ordinary persons.”

Mr Gilani said only a strong parliament could ensure dignity and honour to the people of Pakistan.

In her welcome address Asma Jehangir expressed concern over the rising crimes across the country, especially in Karachi.

She said although most of the violence was terror-related, yet a culture of impunity over the years had emboldened criminal elements.

Political parties, she said, should distance themselves from criminal groups and end any form of patronisation to crime.

“We are also aware of the baggage of the past regimes that the present government carries but that should provide an added impetus to overcome the challenges and move forward.” She called for revisiting the legal system to strengthen it and guarantee due process to the accused.

Ms Jehangir said the SCBA always advised people to have patience with an elected government and learn to live with a constitutionally-appointed judiciary.