Govt systematically defaming institutions: Rabbani

ISLAMABAD: Former Chairman Senate Senator Mian Raza Rabbani said on Tuesday that the offensive unleashed by the Federal Government against the Election Commission of Pakistan is a continuation of its policy to systematically “dismantle” and defame all state institutions.

“This is condemned and will be resisted by the people of Pakistan,” he said while commenting on the government’s onslaught against the Election Commission of Pakistan.

Senator Rabbani said: “The government initially attacked Parliament and made it dysfunctional, then focused on the Judiciary by filing false references and ministers using derogatory language against Judges of the Superior Courts.

“It then trained its eyes on the media by imposing censorship, attempting to introduce the Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA) Bill with provisions worst than martial law regulations, the civil service, academicians, students, and even the labour class has not been spared.”

He said the policies of national security also have not escaped this cavalier approach as damaging remarks have been made before foreign audiences.

“The attack on institutions can rattle the foundations of the constitutional system that holds the national structure together,” he said, adding, “In the fast-changing regional situation such intense polarization and dismantling of national institutions will have disastrous effects on the federation.” Rabbani said the people of Pakistan must unite to preserve its institutions and the federation because history will not forgive them for not learning from the disintegration of other states where institutions were deliberately ridiculed.