PRIME Minister Imran Khan and his cabinet colleagues hit back at PML (N) for unconventional and uncalled for remarks of its supremo Nawaz Sharif during his address to Gujranwala rally of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) from London through video link saying that Nawaz was attempting to malign the Army as an institution. While the Prime Minister regretted that soldiers were being targeted at a time when they are laying down their lives for cause of the country, addressing a press conference alongside Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry, Information Minister Shibli Faraz said that the opposition was causing harm to the country by targeting national institutions.
There are legitimate concerns over tendency of making national institutions controversial when there was need to strengthen them for sake of unity, progress and development of the country. Remarks against institutions were made in the past as well but in a subtle manner but now crude attempts are being made to malign them. We have been emphasising in these columns that all state institutions should perform their functions strictly in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution and no attempt should be made to interfere in each other’s domain as this leads to instability and uncertainty. Roles and responsibilities of institutions and state pillars are clearly defined in the Constitution and a dialogue can be held to clear ambiguities, if any, or bring about amendments in the parameters within which each institution should function.
Remarks of Mian Nawaz Sharif and indirect statements of other opposition leaders about role of state institutions and their rejoinder in the same coin by ruling party would not serve the cause as such a strategy would create more confusion and push the country towards anarchy. Federal Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad, who claims to be more knowledgeable than others, has hinted at banning PML (N) but such recourse would be counter-productive. No one would benefit from further confrontation and instead such a scenario would deprive people of intended benefits of policies and programmes of the government. We believe that saner voices from both government and opposition should play a role in calming down tension and initiating a dialogue among institutions to crystallise their functioning and responsibilities.
