THATTA, Aug 24: Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Speaker of the Sindh Assembly, has said the 18th constitutional amendment has made even a judge punishable under the law if he is found guilty of conspiracy to derail democracy.

“People’s verdict will remain supreme and democracy will continue to work despite disqualification of prime ministers,” he said while talking to journalists after inaugurating a project in Natho Junghai village on Friday for the construction of 24 houses for people displaced by heavy floods in 2010. The houses are being built by the Lions Club International Foundation.

He said the People’s Party was following the Charter of Democracy and

contemplating amending the Constitution to strengthen institutions.

“The credit goes to the PPP for fulfilling a 30-year-old demand for provincial autonomy.”

About local bodies’ (LB) elections, Mr Khuhro said the polls were being delayed because “we are trying to evolve a consensus with our allies”. He said there was a possibility that Sindh would go for LB elections before the general election provided all coalition partners arrived at a consensus. The speaker said although the 1979 local government system had been restored, it made no difference on the ground because a “mere change of nomenclature” from DCO (district coordination officer) to DC (deputy commissioner) was not enough.

He said despite nefarious designs and conspiracies, the PPP government had entered the fifth year in government with the help of coalition partners.

“The world should know that PPP has rendered sacrifices to strengthen institutions and its leaders have laid down their lives fighting tyranny and dictatorship. No power can now dare derail democracy,” Mr Khuhro said.

The PPP leader suggested regularisation of all villages so that people could benefit from loan facilities to build or renovate their houses.