News
Thursday, August 02, 2012
Govt believes in trichotomy of power, says Zardari* President says every state institution should observe its constitutional limits
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has said the government firmly believes in trichotomy of power, which is well-defined in the constitution, and for strength and stability of the system, it is imperative that every institution of the state performs its functions in accordance with the constitutional limits.
A delegation of Supreme Court Bar Association Executive Committee, headed by its president, Muhammad Yaseen Azad, on Wednesday called on President Zardari at the Presidency. According to sources, the SCBA delegation discussed with the president the worsening law and order situation in Balochistan.
Zardari said in young democracies, some institutions may at times appear to be overstepping their constitutional limits but this was part of the evolutionary process.
The sources said the SCBA members conveyed their reservations to the president regarding the new contempt of court law, saying the government’s legal team had not consulted bar associations before drafting the new law.
The delegation members said the bar had always supported democracy and democratic institutions and will continue to do so in the future as well. They said the bar believes all state institutions should work within their constitutional limits and that a clash of institutions should be avoided.
The SCBA president said the bar stands for continuity of the democratic process and strengthening of democratic institutions. President Zardari appreciated the contributions made by the SCBA for upholding democracy, supremacy of rule of law and independence of judiciary, and the important role it played for the welfare of the members of legal fraternity, streamlining the legal system and in providing legal assistance to the poor and needy.
He said the government, committed to ideals of democracy, supremacy of the people's will and independence of state institutions, has taken a number of important steps during its tenure for strengthening rule of law in the country.
The president expressed the hope that the bar council would continue to play its role in the provision of speedy and inexpensive justice, especially to the weak and vulnerable sections of society, as well as in protecting the constitution, rule of law and democracy in the country.
Yaseen Azad also raised some issues concerning the lawyers’ community, including grants to the SCBA, construction of an SCBA Complex and housing scheme for the lawyers in the capital. The president assured the delegation he would advise the government to immediately release Rs 30 million as grant to the bar association.
Law Minister Senator Farooq H Naek, the president’s spokesman Senator Farhatullah Babar, Secretary to the President Malik Asif Hayat and other officials were also present during the meeting.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk