National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has stated that parliament has the authority to reject any unconstitutional decision of the apex court, adding that subjugating the parliament would have dire consequences for the nation. In an interview with the Voice of America, Ashraf, who belongs to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), firmly stated that if the SC does not recognize the parliament's right to legislate, then the entire concept of elections will become a mockery.

The speaker also called upon the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) to work towards resolving conflict among institutions. He also urged the government to abandon any stubbornness and engage in meaningful dialogue with other stakeholders on the issue of elections. Expressing his opinion on the matter of a full court, Ashraf said he could not comprehend what was wrong with having a larger panel of judges, as it would help bring an end to uncertainty. He said the resignations of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers members could not be reconsidered, but if the court ruled in favour of the PTI, the members could return to the assembly.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP