ISLAMABAD: Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has said that Parliament is the highest institution and has the power to make laws.
He said on the floor of the National Assembly on Tuesday: “We respect all institutions, but they have a mandate to interpret the constitution and not to rewrite it.
He expressed concern that the interference of one institution with another would weaken democracy. He said that democracy is much better than dictatorship and that the respect and constitutional sanctity of Parliament must not be compromised.
He stressed the importance of continuing the democratic path and acknowledged that while democracy has its flaws, they exist even in advanced democracies such as the UK and the US. “The US and the UK are also struggling; candidates are being challenged in the US,” he added.
He added that despite political differences, the country’s institutions must not be attacked.
The minister said: “No system is flawless. We should be grateful that the system works for us too. Some people may have some reservations about it, but Parliament is respectable and should not be questioned.”
He argued that questioning the legitimacy of parliament would weaken the system and called on political parties to work to strengthen democracy and parliament.
On the Kashmir issue, the minister emphasized national unity on the issue and reiterated Pakistan’s stand that the Kashmir issue must be resolved in accordance with UN resolutions. He lamented that the resolutions on Kashmir and Palestine were not implemented and said that the will of the people of Kashmir should be respected. He said that Pakistan had fought wars over Kashmir and that the people of Kashmir had made significant sacrifices for freedom from Indian occupation.
