Judiciary Should Interpret Constitution Not On Individual's Whims But In Totality: Qamar

Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published March 28, 2023 | 04:10 PM

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Mar, 2023 ) :Federal Minister for Commerce, Syed Naveed Qamar on Tuesday said all judges of the court should unite to interpret the Constitution not through the lense of an individual but the entire judiciary.

He was addressing the lower house of the parliament on the special motion moved by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Murtaza Javed Abbasi to debate on current political situation and political and legal coercion taking place due to it.

Qamar said the country was at the crossroads of its history.

"Unfortunately, we have seen historically there have been encroachments on the role of each institution on the other during the martial law regimes," he added.

The minister said it was the executive that acted above all and other institutions including judiciary served as subservient to it during the dictatorial rules.

He said the dictator and former president late General (R) Pervez Musharraf tried to amass all the powers of the legislature and tried to infringe the powers of the Chief Justice of Pakistan but it were the political parties that stood against him.

He regretted that the courts had already started to take sides and forgot to stick to its role in letter and spirit as per the constitution. The suo moto power was also being abused time and again, he added.

"Once again, we are at the spot to decide either to let constitution crumpled or ensure national justice that is guarantee to nation's security," the minister noted.

Syed Naveed Qamar said by the time a decision was made the country would remain the same as it was today.

"The courts should make history by making decisions that are acceptable to the entire nation that will be written in golden words," he ended.

Earlier, the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs addressed the house to table the special motion.

He said this house was formed by the trust and representation of the masses and was bound to give direction to them at these times of crisis and uncertainty.