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ISLAMABAD: On the 50th anniversary of the 1973 Constitution, a PTI leader has urged the government to follow the Constitution by holding elections to two provincial assemblies within 90 days rather than celebrating it.
The PTI leader also criticised the PPP, saying the party whose founder Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was one of the key characters behind the framing of the Constitution has become a “rubber stamp” for validating unconstitutional steps.
Talking to Dawn, PTI leader Ali Nawaz Awan said the parliament passed a bill to curtail the powers of the chief justice and also approved a resolution for simultaneous polls across the country.
“If simultaneous elections can be held by a resolution why parliament passed a bill regarding the chief justice’s power and if a bill had to be passed, it means that the resolution means nothing,” he said.
Mr Awan added that if the PML-N and PPP were sincere with the Constitution, they should hold the elections to Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies in 90 days as mentioned in the Constitution.
“Otherwise they should shelve the Constitution as it has lost its sanctity.”
Replying to a question, the PTI leader said his party will continue its efforts to hold the elections at the earliest.
“The government is well aware the PTI will clean sweep the elections so it has been misinterpreting the Constitution to avoid elections,” he said.
The PTI leader also criticised the PPP, which is one of the allied parties in the federal ruling coalition.
The PPP should be the custodian of the Constitution since it was “gifted” by its founder. “But unfortunately it was acting like a rubber stamp.”
Another PTI leader, Shireen Mazari, criticised the presence of Justice Qazi Faez Isa in the event held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Constitution on Monday.
“At National Constitution Convention! Seated between [Asif Zardari] & [Ishaq] Dar! A picture speaks louder than words! I guess this is what PDM wanted to show since Raja [Pervaiz Ashraf] decides seating! It’s all abt signalling,” she tweeted, while sharing a picture from the event.
Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2023
