‘No justification for delaying NA session’

Staff Report

LAHORE: Former chief justice of Pakistan Sajjad Ali Shah said late Monday night that there was no justification for postponing the National Assembly (NA) session.

In an interview with Pakistani news channel GEO, he said despite the fact that no party had a clear majority, the session had to be called as soon as possible, according to the law. He said after the first session there would be some moral pressure on the parliamentarians and they would be in a better position to decide the future strategy about the formation of government.

He said the constitutional amendments made by the military government after it completed its three-year time frame given to it by the Supreme Court, were debatable. He said legislation and the appointment of the president were the privileges of parliament only.

Regarding the abolition of the floor-crossing rule, the former chief justice said the government would have to make some amendments in the constitution to change it. Mr Shah said the SC could take suo-motu keeping in mind the political situation. He said the SC could also stop the rulers if they were crossing their bounds. Asked if the president’s five-year term will begin from the date he takes fresh oath after the MNAs-elect swearing-in, he said things would be totally different when the National Assembly meets because the Constitution would stand restored. Mr Shah said legislation and appointment of the president were purely the right of parliament and it had full powers under the constitution, adding that the term of the president would also be decided by parliament.

Meanwhile in a separate interview to GEO former caretaker Prime Minister Malik Miraj Khalid also stressed the importance of an early NA session.

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