PM Shehbaz reiterates coalition govt’s resolve to overcome challenges

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday reiterated the coalition government’s resolve to overcome the prevailing challenges “it had taken up for sake of the country’s progress”, ARY News reported.

The prime minister made these remarks while addressing a meeting of coalition parties, summoned to discuss matters related to Supreme Court (SC) decision and Punjab election.

PM Shehbaz said that the coalition parties, out of sincerity and commitment to the country, had shown unprecedented unity throughout the first year of their government, “becoming a matter of worry for the opposition parties”.

The prime minister said in the beginning, the opposition and even the people in the coalition parties were not hopeful of the durability of the alliance.

However, all of the allied parties manifested their democratic spirit and played their constructive role to maintain unity as well as in steering the country out of pervading challenges, he added.

PM Shehbaz said despite time-to-time differences on certain matters, the allied parties remained united to face the challenges inherited from the previous government. In the democracy, the decisions were made through consultation, not imposition, he added.

Referring to the ongoing controversy regarding the court verdict on general elections in Punjab, he said nowhere in the world had ever happened that a court granted a stay on the implementation of a law even before its promulgation.

The decision of the three-member bench even prompted the bar councils to raise their voice – for sake of the rule of law, not out of love for the government – as they also believed that the decision was contrary to the norms of the justice, he added.

PM Shehbaz said the coalition parties were striving wholeheartedly to take the struggle of overcoming the challenges to a logical end, despite all odds.

He told the participants that the International Monetary Fund’s agreement was in the final phase as their last conditionality was to make deposits.

He lauded the efforts of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Army Chief General Asim Munir for the success of the process.

He also told the participants of his upcoming telephonic conversation with new Chinese Premier Li Qiang during the last week of April when they would discuss the matters of mutual interest.

He reiterated the coalition government’s resolve to overcome the challenges it had taken up for sake of the country’s progress.

“I again assure you that you have elected me your prime minister and I will try my best to live up to your expectations,” he concluded.

Earlier, the Supreme Court (SC) barred the government from implementing Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2023, which aims to curtail the suo motu powers of office of the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP).

According to details, an eight-member bench – headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) – took up a set of three petitions challenging the bill.

The apex court, in a written order issued today, termed the bill “interference with and intrusion into the independence of the judiciary.”

The order stated that while the bill is “not yet law it is nonetheless, with exactitude, that what will have the force of law, when the act comes into being,” adding that it could be considered and examined even at this stage.

On Monday, the Joint Sitting of Parliament passed the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill 2023, which aims to curtail the suo motu powers of office of the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP).