Daily Times

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: Deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said it would be dangerous to do away with laws approved by the parliament as the constitution was a sacred document. The comments came as the Supreme Court while announcing a short verdict on 17 almost identical petitions against the Elections Act, 2017, which paved way for disqualified prime minister Nawaz Sharif to regain presidency of ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the Supreme Court ruled that an individual disqualified under articles 62 and 63 of the constitution cannot serve as head of a political party.

The PML-N president said that institutions earn respect through their performance. However, he added, the constitution would be in question if the courts start verifying laws approved by the representatives of the people in the parliament. He said that the parliament and the institutions stay within their ambit only due to the constitution.

Following Nawaz’s disqualification as prime minister in July 2017 in the Panama Papers case, the ruling party had managed to amend the constitution to allow the former premier to retain his chairmanship of the PML-N.

Nawaz said that his family was being victimised in the name of justice. He said they will remain steadfast in the pursuit of their mission despite use of underhand tactics by the opponents. “We have never compromised on our principles and we do not intend to do so in the future as well. We will not hesitate to sacrifice anything for democracy and the rule of law,” the former premier said.

Published in Daily Times, February 22^nd 2018.