Raza Rabbani opposes legislation repugnant to Constitution

ISLAMABAD: Former Chairman Senate and eminent constitutional expert Senator Mian Raza Rabbani has asked the government not to succumb to any external or internal pressure and desist from legislation that could deny the human rights, ensured in the constitution of the country.

Talking to The News Thursday evening, Rabbani, who is author of Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution said that any law that overrides the Constitution couldn’t become part of the book and liable to be challenged at every forum. 

He reminded that the incumbent administration has a record of exploiting the authority and laws to victimise its opponents. Any law that provides competence to the administration or law enforcing officials to detain someone for 90 or 180 days will not be acceptable to the people of the country. Such draconian law will be negating civil liberties and democratic norms.

“I am sure no political party will become party for passage and enforcement of such black law,” he added.

Senator Mian Raza Rabbani said that FATF or no FATF, none of the obligation could force any country to allow any legislation that is opposed to the provisions of its constitution and collective will of the masses.

He said that Parliament shouldn’t consider any draft of legislation that could detrimental to democratic traits and freedom of the people. It is the duty of the government to assure the international forums through administrative actions and not curbing the freedom of its people to fulfill their demands.

He said that in case any law is passed which is repugnant to the Constitution would essentially be challenged in the court. “I am sure the honourable courts will examine any such legislation pragmatically since no law opposed to the constitution could survive in the book,” Rabbani added.