November last steps are not part of the constitution: Naek
'Pakistan Times' NWFP Bureau

ISLAMABAD: Steps taken in November last year are not part of the constitution as the parliament has not yet validated the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO), Minister for Law and Justice Farooq H Naek said Monday.

Talking to Dawn News he said, there is a prescribed procedure for amending the constitution. No amendment has been introduced in the constitution after 2003 when 17th amendment was passed.

As far as PCO was concerned the Supreme Court of Pakistan has given it recognition but the superior court does not have powers to validate any law or include it into constitution.

Only Parliament has the powers to validate any law that too by two-third majority, he emphasised.

Regarding the reinstatement of deposed judges of superior judiciary he said government was committed to restore them within a period of 30 days as agreed in Bhurban.

He said in addition to resolution for restoration of judges the government would also introduce reforms in judiciary to alleviate the sufferings of litigants and also judiciary would also be provided facilities.

“We want to introduce a lot of judicial as well as constitutional reforms aimed at facilitating the countrymen.Initial spadework has already been started in the law ministry,” he added.

He said PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari has formed a package to alleviate the problems of judiciary.The package will be revealed later on.Mr Zardari has great experience as he remained in jail for 12 long years and well-versed with the flaws in country’s judicial process.●