Rights activists call for president’s impeachment over attempt to subvert Constitution

A meeting of academics, and civil society and trade union activists on Friday commended the Supreme Court judgment that reinstated the National Assembly and nullified the deputy speaker’s ruling on the no-confidence move against the prime minister.

Veteran rights activists Hussain Naqi and Karamat Ali chaired the meeting that held at the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) Karachi office. The participants appreciated the unanimous judgment of the Supreme Court and demand impeachment of President Arif Alvi for his role in the attempt to subvert the supremacy of the Constitution.

They demand immediate constitutional and electoral reforms to make the Constitution more pro-people in order to safeguard basic fundamental rights, right to employment and social security.

The rights activists demanded an end to all types of discrimination, including those against the women, minorities and working classes. The participants including Asad Iqbal Butt of the HRCP, Dr Riaz Sheikh of the Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology, Faisal Edhi of the Edhi Foundation, Dr Riaz Ahmed of the Karachi University, Zahid Farooq of the Urban Resources Centre, Nasir Mansoor of the National Trade Union Federation, Mahnaz Rahman of the Aurat Foundation, Zehra Khan of the Home-Based Working Women Federation, journalist Dr Tauseef Ahmed Khan, Qazi Khizar of the HRCP, Saeed Baloch of Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum, Farhat Parveen of Now Communities and others.

They demanded an end to the campaign against freedom of expression. They also called for restoring the right to information. The participants said a law should be passed without delay to declare forced disappearances a criminal offence and all the missing persons should be recovered.

The rights activists said the only way to end the economic turmoil was reforms aimed at mitigating the sufferings of the poor, enlarging regional trade, reduction in military budget and harmonising relations with neighbouring countries.

They demanded that negotiations with the International Monetary Fund should consider the past four years’ severe impact of such policies on the poor and working classes, and all loan agreements must be approved by the people’s representatives in Parliament.

PPP hails judgment

Former Punjab governor and senior Pakistan Peoples Party leader Sardar Latif Khosa has said that the Supreme Court’s decision against the ruling of the National Assembly’s deputy speaker has ensured the supremacy of the constitution in the country.

He was speaking at a programme at the Peoples Secretariat late on Thursday night to celebrate the verdict of the apex court. Khosa said that the apex judiciary had set a good precedent to ensure rule of law in the country by giving the judgment against the ruling of the NA’s deputy speaker and other illegal steps of the PTI’s federal government.

He was of the opinion that the unanimous decision of the apex judiciary would create new history, as Pakistan could not tolerate anymore the application of the infamous doctrine of necesscity.

Khosa said the Peoples Party fully believed in the supremacy of the constitution, law and parliament. He said the opposition parties in the country would remain steadfast against all “unconstitutional steps” of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s rule.

He remarked that former president Asif Ali Zardari, while showing exceptional political wisdom, had gathered all opposition political parties on a single platform against the PTI’s government.

He said that PM Imran Khan had been left with no option but to step down as he was trying to portray himself as a victim of a conspiracy against his rule.

PPP Sindh General-Secretary Waqar Mehdi said on the occasion that the judgment of the apex judiciary had proved that PM Khan and President Dr Arif Alvi both had breached the constitution. He said the order given by the Supreme Court had fully exposed the elements that had plotted against the constitution.

He said the supremacy of the constitution and the prevalence of parliamentary politics would go a long way in ensuring the progress and development of the country. He said the Supreme Court’s order had upheld the political wisdom of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and former president Asif Ali Zardari.