Ayaz Sadiq
ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Tuesday strongly reacted to remarks made by a judge of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) regarding the state of parliament, calling them an unjustified attack on the institution.
During the National Assembly session, Sadiq referred to media reports quoting an IHC judge who allegedly stated that parliament, along with the executive and judiciary, had collapsed. Expressing his discontent, the speaker made it clear that such statements were unacceptable and an infringement on the authority of the legislature.
“No one has the right to make statements against parliament. This is our prerogative. If this report is accurate, please convey to the honourable judge that such remarks are not acceptable to parliament,” Sadiq said, addressing the law minister.
The controversy arose during the hearing of a case in which candidates appearing for the CSS 2024 examinations petitioned the court to delay the upcoming exam until the results of the previous one were announced.
During the proceedings, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani reportedly made critical remarks about the country’s governance, stating that living in Pakistan had become a constant struggle.
Responding to the petitioners’ lawyer, who argued that the state was responsible for protecting citizens’ rights, Justice Kayani remarked that the fundamental pillars of the state no longer functioned properly.
“The state is now in the air. Men above 45 years of age, including me, are ineffective. Only the youth must take action for this country. I am not hopeless. The same youth have to take care of the country. The judiciary, parliament, and executive have all collapsed,” he reportedly stated.
Sadiq took strong exception to these remarks, arguing that they undermined the authority of the legislature and painted an unfair picture of the country’s institutions. He also criticized opposition leaders, particularly from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), for continuously questioning the legitimacy of parliament.
“The PTI leadership and members must stop this drama of calling parliament fake. The parliament of 2018 was not fake, but according to them, the parliaments of 2013 and 2024 are,” he stated, accusing the opposition of selectively dismissing the institution whenever they were not in power.
Sadiq further condemned PTI lawmakers for returning to parliament and accepting salaries despite having boycotted its proceedings. He argued that such actions exposed their hypocrisy, as they benefited from the institution they had previously deemed illegitimate.
His remarks reflect growing tensions between state institutions, particularly in light of the judiciary’s increasing scrutiny of government actions. The exchange also highlights the ongoing political discord, with opposition parties challenging the legitimacy of the current parliamentary setup while simultaneously participating in it.
