ISLAMABAD: Senior judge of the Supreme Court Justice Qazi Faez Isa said on Monday that the apex court stood with the country’s constitution.
He expressed this opinion during his address at the national constitutional convention at the National Assembly hall at an event marked to attend the golden jubilee of the Constitution of Pakistan. He assured the National Assembly participants that he and his institution would support the constitutional process.
“This book is our identity, Pakistan’s identity. The elected representatives of the time unanimously voted on it, there was no negative vote. There were four abstentions I think,” he said while holding the Constitution’s book in his hand.
The 1973 Constitution was passed by the National Assembly on April 10, 1973, authenticated by the president on April 10, 1973, and promulgated on August 14, 1973.
Justice Isa said there was one purpose of all institutions (including executive, legislative and judiciary) to serve people and avoid the fight within while saying the basic job was to take timely decisions and implement them.
He said that main role of the National Assembly members was to formulate laws and the executive would implement these laws.
“It is their freedom of right given by the Constitution. So I don’t say anything to them but that does not mean I agree with them. I want to make this clear. Perhaps, tomorrow cases of these people will [be heard] and decisions will be taken against them and maybe they will talk against me so I just want to make it clear that I came [for the] golden jubilee of the Constitution. This is a celebration,” he made the remarks while pointing at the NA Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf mentioning he was assured that political matters would not be discussed.
He appreciated Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for deciding that April 10 would be celebrated as National Constitution Day. He expressed a complaint that the Constitution was not taught to children while mentioning his wife had taught at an American school in the past where they would teach small kids about the American constitution.
He said when people understood the details of a constitution, they would have an idea that the power was in their hands. He added the word minorities should not be used as they were equal citizens.
Lastly he highlighted the significance of the constitution and added anyone including him would be liable to criticism if they failed to respect the constitution. Again, he added that he did not have any link with the political matters that were mentioned today.