President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani on Thursday chaired a meeting of the coalition partners here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr in which it was decided that parliament would decide who had crossed the limits of constitutional power. Sources said it was decided that if the Supreme Court summoned the prime minister, he would appear before the court.
The meeting lasted more than two and a half hours and was attended by PML-Q President, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada, Senator Dr Babar Awan, Senator Afrasiab Khattak, Senator Muhammad Zahid Khan, Senator Kalsoom Perveen, Munir Khan Orakzai, MNA, Noor-ul-Haq Qadri, MNA, and Spokesperson to the President, Farhatullah Babar.
Sources privy to meeting told The News that it was decided the Senate session would also be summoned to discuss the powers between the judiciary and executive. President Zardari has already summoned the session of the National Assembly on Monday.
Sources privy to the meeting said it was decided there that the prime minister would place all issues before the parliament which would decide as to which institution of the state was overstepping its domain.
Sources who attended the meeting said the coalition partners also proposed that a joint sitting of both houses of the parliament be called to discuss the political situation in the country.
Gilani told the meeting that the parliament had given him certain powers and hence he would defend them, adding that the constitution had settled powers among the institutions and any institution that crossed constitutions limits would have a negative impact on democracy.
There was consensus at the meeting that the parliament and the government would avoid a confrontation with any institutions of the country. It was decided that the current situation in the country demanded that the parliament discuss the situation and provide suggestions. The meeting resolved that all institutions should work within their constitutional ambit and avoid interference in others’ matters.
Presidential Spokesman Farhatullah Babar gave details of the meeting and said the president briefed the coalition partners about his recent visits to Iran, Afghanistan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The meeting also discussed issues relating to power and gas shortage and price hikes in the country and took stock of the current political and economic situation. Earlier, before the meeting with the heads of the coalition partners, PM Gilani met the president to discuss the ongoing tussle with the judiciary.
