Daily Times

Sir: I would like to bring to your attention the news stories carried on Sunday — one on the front page and the other on the back page — about two federal ministers’ appearance in lower courts. One of them reported that the Interior minister Malik Rehman, responding to the summons of the court, appeared before it promptly and that too without any protocol or security in spite of the many life threats that he has received. But the most honourable Minister for Water and Power, Raja Ashraf Pervez, did not bother to show up at the court. Consequently the court had to issue a warrant for his arrest. I think it is the second or third time that the courts are issuing such warrants for his arrest. The minister is not only making a mockery of the judicial system but it is also amazing to note how he is eluding the police. Either the police are not doing their job, or does he think that as a federal minister he is above the law? My very sincere request to the court is not to make a charade of the judiciary by issuing such warrants that cannot be implemented and resign helplessly to the inevitable and wait until the gentleman is out of his supposedly powerful office. Incidentally, he should have already been out as he had assured the nation many times that he would tender his resignation by the end of December if he could not do away with load shedding.

COL. (RETD) RIAZ JAFRI
Rawalpindi