PPP has reservations on Supreme Court: Bilawal

Pakistan

PPP has reservations on Supreme Court: Bilawal

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Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that PPP had reservations on Supreme Court's decisions.

30 September,2012 11:48 pm

Chairman PPP, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, while delivering a speech in New York at a PPP public meeting, said the PPP had reservations on the Supreme Court judgments but still wanted to uphold rule of law.We believe a truly independent and impartial judiciary is a fundamental component to a democratic Pakistan. That is why we respect the majesty of justice and accept the rulings of our Supreme Court, despite reservations, he argued.If the courts insist on putting the grave of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto on trial, to repeat the mistakes of history, refuse to redeem themselves from the role they have played in the judicial murder of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, the ultimate decisions will lie in the court of the people and the courts of history, he said while hinting at the NRO case proceedings in the SC.While we can agree to disagree on whether justice is being done, we must all agree a basic principle of justice is that justice should not only be done but it should be seen to be done. The judiciary in Pakistan will never build its reputation as a truly independent and impartial judiciary if there are to be double standards, he said.It is highly inappropriate, for instance, that in the case of the Chief Justice’s own son the investigator, the prosecutor and the judges who will hear the case are cherry picked by the court. My hope is that the Court will find its rightful role and carry out its duties in such a way that it restores its institutional credibility. If the Court cannot or will not, we the people must call for the judicial reforms needed in a mature democracy, he said with reference to Dr. Arsalan case.Bilawal said that his party is committed to providing the right to vote and contest elections to dual-natioanlity holders. We are committed to insuring your right to vote in elections. We are committed to the idea that dual-nationals should be able to participate in all our country’s civic matters, and that includes the right to contest elections. No unelected people have the right to question the loyalty of anyone elected by the people of Pakistan.Bilawal urged the expatriate Pakistanis to have their voices heard in the next election. If they don’t let you run, if they don’t let you vote, speak to your family and friends in Pakistan, come back to Pakistan yourselves, and support the Party that has not given up on your voice and your vote, he said in an obvious reference to the Supreme Court decision that bars dual natioanlity holders from contesting elections or hokding public office.It is under this PPP government that overseas remittances have increased from $6 billion, from when we replaced Musharraff’s dictatorship, to almost $13 billion under our democratic government, he appreciated while assuring the audience that the PPP would always stand by the oversees Pakistanis.He said Pakistan was undergoing the first peaceful transition of power in its 66 year history. Our government has created the first social safety net for the poor in our nation’s history, and has passed more legislation for women in this parliament than in all past parliaments combined. From domestic violence to property rights, the women of Pakistan are being protected by the law, he claimed.He maintained taht the PPP had come into power amidst the worst global recession in recent history. Despite external shocks that led to fiscal deficit, Pakistan has against all odds managed to have an annual GDP growth rate of almost 4%, he pointed out while adding that exports and agriculture produce were surging and efforts were underway to check inflation.On the situation in Balochistan, he said with every missing person and with every dead body, a Baloch family loses hope in Pakistan. We have stopped living in denial, and we cannot let the province bleed the way it has. Musharraf treated the people of Balochistan as enemies of the stat. We have a long way to go in addressing all the wrongs done to them, but at least we’ve started the process, he remarked.In addition, the Balochistan package the government had passed addressed Balochistan’s sense of discrimination and brings it to par with the other provinces in terms of funds, employment and infrastructure. This year, the share of the Balochistan in the new NFC had been more than 95 billion rupees as opposed to less than 40 billion rupees before our government took power, he outlined.He also spoke about the sense of deprivation and discrimination existing in the minority communities of Pakistan. We must protect the minorities within our own borders. Law and order should protect the Christian, the Hindu and any minority faith. Our government stands shoulder to shoulder with all minorities, he asserted.Mr. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also took the opportunity to join the unanimous chorus of condemnation of a vile, hateful, blasphemous video that has unfortunately incited violence across the Muslim world. The unity of all major political parties in Pakistan on this issue is inspirational, he said.In the war against terrorism, he said the current regimes strategy of dialogue, deterrence and development was successful to regain Swat from terrorists. Those planning a peace march into Waziristan should visit the now thriving marketplaces in Swat, which were once the bloody squares where the terrorists hung the bodies of innocent civilians in their hateful campaign of death and destruction, he said while having a dig at Imran Khans plan for a peace march in South Waziristan.We too oppose drone strikes. We will fight this war on our terms and not at the dictation of any foreign power. Unlike the military dictator before us, who took orders from a single phone call, we have taken ownership of our foreign policy. Our Parliament conducted a full review of our foreign policy, giving the people’s approval to our actions. Unlike the military dictator before us, we have not been afraid to stand up to superpowers. We shut the supply routes in protest, we permanently shut Shamsi Air Base, he said.- Contributed by Awais Saleem, Dunya News correspondent in New York