"Let Pakistan progress": Maryam Nawaz tells SC judges after reserved seat ruling
Jul 19, 2024
Lahore [Pakistan], July 19 : Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz launched a strong salvo at the Pakistan Supreme Court over its recent ruling allowing Imra Khan's party to claim reserved seats in the parliament, and said the apex court judges should let the country 'progress', Geo News reported.
"I would like to ask the SC judges to let the country function," Maryam said on Friday, while addressing an event in Lahore.
She accused the SC judges of "rewriting the constitution" to bring one person back to mainstream politics.
"Who are those (people) who do not like the country making progress and re-write the Constitution," she said.
The Chief Minister further said that Pakistan SC gave Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf a relief that it did not even seek.
"They are trying to bring back nation's criminal," she alleged, in an apparent reference to PTI founder and former PM Imran Khan.
In a major legal victory for Imran Khan's PTI, nation's top court on July 12 ruled that the party was eligible for the allocation of reserved seats.
The decision has not only paved the way for the PTI's return to the parliament, which was kicked out of the February 8 polls owing to the ECP's December 2023 ruling, but has also increased the pressure on the coalition alliance as the judgement will change the composition of the National Assembly, as reported by Geo News.
The Pakistan SC has given 15 days to submit their affidavits claiming their affiliation with the PTI, despite the fact that they had already submitted documents affirming allegiance with another party, she said.
"We will not let this be a cake walk for you. This government will complete its five years' tenure. If anyone tries to create political instability, they will be dealt with iron hands," the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader warned.
"It was said that verdicts were announced according to their conscience," Maryam noted, adding that decisions should be according to the constitution, not according to a person's conscience.
She said the one they were trying to bring back was the nation's criminal. "No one knew from where he was launched and from where he was sourcing funds," Geo News quoted her as saying.
The PML-N leader said a group of few people gave such orders which halted the process of development. She also said that the law and Constitution did not allow floor crossing, while the "SC judge's ruling said, you can commit floor crossing".