‘Judiciary cannot re-write Constitution’; PM Shehbaz remains defiant

A defiant Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said that the judiciary can only interpret the law, but cannot re-write it.

“There is no example in the world where the parliament’s law — which has not even come into existence right now and has not taken its applicable shape — was subjected to a stay order,” said PM Shehbaz while addressing the launch ceremony of the constitution’s mobile app in Islamabad.

“The Constitution has taken birth from the cradle of the parliament. The judiciary can interpret the Constitution — that is their right — but the judiciary cannot rewrite the Constitution,” said the Premier as his government faces off with the Supreme Court.

“This (rewriting Constitution) is only the parliament’s authority,” he added, warning that the “parliament will use its constitutional and legal rights on this” matter.

Shehbaz said the country was “standing at crossroads today” and that politicians, including him, had committed numerous mistakes.

“The ones who stand above others are those who move forward after learning from their mistakes and subordinate themselves to the national interest for the nation’s supreme aim,” he said.

The prime minister said the government was “working day and night to improve Pakistan’s difficult conditions and will keep doing so”.