SAHIWAL: Governor Sardar Saleem Haider has reiterated the importance of upcoming constitutional reforms, saying their alignment should be with the 1973 Constitution, the 18th Amendment and the ‘Charter of Democracy’ initiated by the leading federal parties.

Speaking in Sahiwal, the governor said that the judiciary’s role is to interpret the constitution, not to dictate amendments or interfere with parliamentary processes.

He said the parliament, representing 230 million Pakistanis, holds the sole authority to enact reforms.

Criticising recent judicial interventions, the governor said the judiciary has overstepped its constitutional bounds, especially since the tenure of retired chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry.

Says they should allign with 18th Amendment and Charter of Democracy

“This imbalance of power must be addressed and judicial reforms are not only necessary but inevitable,” he said.

The governor said Maulana Fazlur Rehman would support the reforms, noting that major political parties had addressed his concerns. He also spoke about transparency issues within the judicial appointment process, alleging that some judges are selected from “particular chambers” which compromises merit.

Turning to political opposition, the governor criticised Imran Khan, calling him “stubborn” and responsible for destabilising Pakistan’s federal structure. He questioned the legality of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister’s actions against the federal government, particularly the recent confrontation at the Attock Bridge.

Earlier, Governor Haider arrived in Sahiwal, where he was warmly welcomed by NA-141 PPP supporters. He spent the day meeting constituents, addressing farmers and inaugurating an IT Skill Centre for training youth in cybersecurity, AI, and coding.

Party leaders, including Zafar Shah Khagga, Mahar Ghulam Farid Kathiya and others, also addressed the gatherings during the governor’s visit.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2024

Opinion

Editorial

Ukraine initiative
Updated 21 Feb, 2025

Ukraine initiative

Whether Trump’s Ukraine peace initiative succeeds or not, it will be difficult for Kyiv, Europe to face Russian military machine without US support.
High cost of SOEs
21 Feb, 2025

High cost of SOEs

THERE are losses and then some. The finance ministry’s latest overview of the federally owned state enterprises...
Poor impression
21 Feb, 2025

Poor impression

RECENT developments in the Senate have provided cause for concern on how parliamentary business is being conducted....
Premature alarm
Updated 20 Feb, 2025

Premature alarm

Improvement in headline inflation gives policymakers chance to fix investment policies, implement structural reforms.
Forsaken province
20 Feb, 2025

Forsaken province

AND the endless cycle of violence continues. The brutal killing on Tuesday night of seven Punjab-bound passengers in...
In poor health
20 Feb, 2025

In poor health

THE absence of decent and affordable healthcare in the country continues to ruin lives. An example of this is ...