KARACHI: Calling parliament the “supreme institution” of the country, the Sindh government spokesman and Adviser to the CM Sindh on Law, Barrister Murtaza Wahab, has said that legislation is the core function of parliament.

“Every institution should work within the limits of the Constitution,” he said while addressing a news conference at the Sindh Assembly committee room on Thursday.

“If such reforms would have been made earlier, there would have been no incidents like Nasla Tower and no interference on Reko Diq and rental power project. Like the government does not mean the Prime Minister only, the Supreme Court does not mean the Chief Justice alone. The Supreme Court means all judges and institutions.”

Barrister Wahab said that the nation has been discussing the Constitution and the law for the last few years. In every conversation in the society, he said, there was a debate which argues that the Constitution is supreme to all.

“It is the guiding book that tells us the function of each institution. This Constitution, which was further improved after discussions, gives the interpretation of the functions and powers of the Supreme Court, the government, and the parliament, according to which the parliament and the provincial assemblies can legislate according to the federal legislature,” he said.

He pointed out that Article 181 and 184 of the Constitution clearly states the powers of the apex court, and writes that the Supreme Court is a judicial body and not just the Chief Justice.

“If the government does not mean only the prime minister, but the cabinet, then obviously, the Supreme Court is not simply the chief justice. The new law is not reducing the powers of the Chief Justice. Parliament is the supreme institution, and legislation is its job,” he added.

Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2023