ISLAMABAD (PEN) : In a recent critique of the Supreme Court’s controversial decision on reserved seats, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif underscored that the judiciary’s role is confined to interpreting the law, not making it.
Asif expressed his concern that court decisions should remain non-political and strictly adhere to the Constitution and existing laws. His comments were directed at the Supreme Court’s ruling on the reserved seats issue involving the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).
Asif voiced strong disapproval of the Supreme Court’s July 12 decision, which favored PTI, allowing it to claim reserved seats for women and minorities in the assemblies. This ruling overturned the Peshawar High Court’s previous judgement and dismissed the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) earlier order as unconstitutional.
Asif criticized the judiciary for blending political considerations into their rulings and remarked on the frequency of such political decisions. He warned that the reserved seats verdict could potentially lead to a constitutional crisis and stressed the collective responsibility of politicians, the judiciary, the media, and the bureaucracy in maintaining national stability.
He urged the judiciary to work on restoring its credibility, citing widespread discussion and concern over its conflicting decisions. Asif also proposed that accountability measures, such as contempt of court under Article 209, be considered for incorrect rulings.
