Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif Thursday urged all political parties to respect the sanctity of Parliament and ensure the smooth functioning of democratic institutions, saying political disputes should not weaken the legislature.
Speaking in the National Assembly, he said leaders of major political parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), had faced imprisonment and political hardships in the past but never compromised on the dignity of Parliament.
He said that despite facing legal and political challenges, these leaders continued to use constitutional and legal forums for protest and redress instead of disrupting institutions.
Referring to members of the Sharif family, he said they had also faced legal proceedings, but the democratic system was not undermined.
Criticising Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), he said the party had disrupted parliamentary proceedings over the past two years by linking its participation in the House to the imprisonment of its leader. He said institutions and the country were more important than individuals, adding that personalities come and go but Pakistan remains.
Khawaja Asif said political parties have the right to seek relief for their leaders through legal and political channels, but they should not block parliamentary business or weaken democratic institutions.
He stressed that legislation is Parliament’s main responsibility and called on lawmakers to keep protests within democratic limits.
The minister said that even within PTI, many lawmakers want smooth proceedings, but repeated disruptions have affected Parliament’s credibility.
Turning to the Kashmir issue and voting rights of Kashmiri refugees, the minister said both Pakistanis and Kashmiris had made great sacrifices for the cause.
He said the issue was not only of Kashmiris but a national cause involving entire nation.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to the Kashmir cause, he said thousands of security personnel continue to protect the country’s borders and that Pakistan would continue to support Kashmir for generations, recalling Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s description of Kashmir as Pakistan’s “jugular vein.”