Court decisions against Sharif increasing PML-N's popularity, says minister

LAHORE: Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Saturday said that the decisions of the Supreme Court against deposed premier Nawaz Sharif have added to the popularity of the ruling party.

Speaking to the media here, he thanked the apex court, saying its judgments were increasing their political popularity.

The minister opined that the Panama Papers were used to achieve political objectives.

He said this was not unusual to have differences between political parties, adding that every party will have to bear the brunt of any designs to weaken democratic polity.

Iqbal said it should be kept in mind that the parliament is the supreme institution, which not only had a say in appointment of judges but in deciding their perks and privileges as well.

It is the parliament that makes constitution as well as laws and thereby establishing institutions, he said.

He stressed that the parliament is a democratic institution and belongs not to a few, but 200 million people of the country.

“Surgical strikes” were being carried out on the country’s stability, the ministry said and added that pushing the country towards anarchy would be insanity.

Commenting on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) seeking to put Pakistan on a list of countries unable to combat terrorist financing, he said the country has taken a lot of steps to check money-laundering and terrorists financing.

He emphasized the need for implementing the resolutions of the United Nations, including the one that seeks amicable resolution of the long-standing Kashmir dispute.

He acknowledged that Islamabad was facing immense pressure from Washington for aligning with the latter’s ambitions with regard to the Afghan conflict.