PESHAWAR, Aug 11:  Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf leader and former Supreme Court Bar Association president Qazi Mohammad Anwar on Saturday accused the government of maligning the judiciary and said the Supreme Court had the power to cancel any legislation, which it found to be in violation of the Constitution.

Mr Anwar told a news conference at Peshawar Press Club that the Constitution was superior to all state institutions, including parliament, and it was the duty of the Supreme Court to interpret and explain it to check illegal modifications.

The PTI leader said his party was the only ray of hope for the people, who desperately wanted the current corrupt system changed.

He praised the Supreme Court for outlawing the Contempt of Court Act and said the law was made to exempt all government employees from a peon to the country’s president and prime minister from the court’s contempt proceedings.

“Limiting judicial powers doesn’t happen in civilised societies,” he said, adding that the Supreme Court had the authority to nullify all such acts of parliament, which were in conflict with the Constitution.

Mr Anwar said the PPP-led government had paid lip service to the people’s misery, especially in light of massive unemployment, escalating inflation, excessive loadshedding and poor law and order situation, over the last four years.

“Fifty per cent people in the country are living below the poverty line, while 60 per cent are deprived of drinking water,” he said.

The PTI leader criticised President Asif Zardari for flouting the Constitution by chairing the ruling Pakistan People’s Party meetings at the presidency.

He also accused the president of misusing his powers and interfering in the government affairs and said Mr Zardari should bring back his money deposited in Swiss banks.

Mr Anwar said the government’s flawed economic policies had put the country on the verge of collapse to the misery of the people.

“In the last phase of my life, I’ve joined PTI only because I hope it’ll work for a real change to steer the common man out of hopelessness,” he said.

The PTI leader said corruption had rocked the country to its foundations and only a true leader like Imran Khan could help it overcome the menace.

He said as a lawyer, he paid the highest amount of tax i.e. Rs0.4 million in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said he also extended financial support to poor students, orphans and widows.

“In 1999, the government recognised my social welfare services by awarding me Sitara-i-Imtiaz. Currently, my assets are valued at less than Rs5 million. I also have some shares in land properties,” he said.

PTI leaders Dr Mehrtaj Roghani, Saad Abdullah, Zafarullah Khan and Zafarullah Khattak were also in attendance.