By Naveed Naqvi
ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet of the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s coalition government faced internal discord during its second session as members failed to reach a consensus on the implementation of an emergency rule in the country, sources said on Friday.
The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) expressed opposition to the implementation of Article 232, prompting the cabinet to decide on transferring all matters concerning the conduct of the Supreme Court and other courts to Parliament.
This decision will be presented on Monday, accompanied by rallies to demonstrate solidarity with the Pakistan Army. The allied parties will also organize rallies after consulting with their respective factions.
It came a day after the Islamabad High Court granted two weeks bail to Khan, days after his dramatic arrest over corruption charges set off a deadly outpouring of anger against the country’s military.
He accused the country’s powerful army chief of being behind his arrest, in his first public comments since the arrest.
“There is only one man taking action against me and that is the army chief,” Khan told reporters in court on Friday, referring to army chief General Syed Asim Munir.
Prime minister Sharif criticised the court ruling, saying there was a “genuine corruption case” against Mr Khan, “but the judiciary has become a stone wall protecting him.”
Sources said the second session of the cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Sharif, thoroughly discussed constitutional and legal issues, including the implementation of an emergency rule in the country
“Law Minister Nazir Tarar provided the cabinet with a detailed briefing on the constitutional aspects related to the implementation of an emergency,” a source said.
“While a majority of cabinet members advised the Prime Minister to implement the emergency, the People’s Party opposed the implementation of Article 232. Consequently, the federal cabinet decided to postpone the decision regarding the implementation of an emergency.”
Sources reveal that the implementation of an emergency was also suggested during the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) meeting, chaired by Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
Furthermore, it was decided to transfer all matters pertaining to the functioning of the Supreme Court and other courts to Parliament on Monday.
The government has additionally chosen to organize rallies in solidarity with the Pakistan Army. The allied parties will conduct their respective rallies following consultations within their own ranks.
Sources indicate that a comprehensive discussion on all these issues is scheduled to take place during the parliamentary session on Monday.
Copyright © 2021 Independent Pakistan | All rights reserved
