ISLAMABAD: PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi told political parties in particular PPP to announce whether they were standing with Constitution or abrogating it as Supreme Court deliberates on Election Commission of Pakistan’s delay to polls in Punjab.

Constitutional crisis in Pakistan deepened as ruling coalition in Centre, led by PML-N hinted that it would not accept decision of Supreme Court bench hearing case regarding provincial polls and also alluded to possibility of moving reference against Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial and two other members of bench.

Speaking to media here, he urged political parties that wanted to “Turn away” from Constitution to come out in open, clarifying that “Silence is not an option”.

“Silence that PPP has adopted is not enough,” he said. “Either PPP stands with Constitution or it should outright announce that it is abrogating it.”

He added that PPP was proud of 18th Amendment but “Bhutto’s grandson decided to attack Bhutto’s Constitution. Zardari has destroyed what Bhutto created”. Qureshi spoke about how PML-N had decided to “Attack” Constitution and party leaders had started to “Pressurise Supreme Court”. “Look at their social media posts in last 48 hours. They are not agreeing with any Pakistani. Even Rana Sanaullah tried to attack judges yesterday.”

PTI leader said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had earlier invited them for talks from floor of Assembly to free country of mess it was in “But yesterday he said that Imran Khan and PTI will not be spoken to”.

Published in The Daily National Courier, April, 03 2023

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