Banning Nawaz’s speeches to be considered ‘pre-poll rigging’: Iqbal

Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Monday said that if efforts are made to remove Pakistan Muslim League-N chief Nawaz Sharif from the political landscape of the country the masses would consider it pre-polling rigging.

Iqbal said this while speaking in Geo News show Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath, where he was invited to talk on the government’s announcement of a policy change on higher judiciary.

“Nawaz Sharif was removed from his post [of prime minister], [now] if his speeches are banned, then Pakistani masses will consider it pre-polling rigging,” he said.

PML-N on Monday decided on a change in its policy on the higher judiciary in Pakistan.

According to sources privy to the affair, while chairing the parliamentary party members’ meeting, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi issued directives that the conduct of judges will be discussed in the parliament.

The prime minister while addressing a session of the National Assembly on Monday repeated the same and said that to avoid confrontation among institutions it was better for the House to debate on the matter and invited the opposition to mull over the same.

When asked to comment on what decision exactly the government has decided on, Ahsan Iqbal said the PML-N has “no conspiratorial agenda” but that it simply wants to ensure all institutions work under their respective constitutional ambit.

“As a democratic force, we want to avoid any confrontation between institutions,” he said, adding that opposition and government should discuss the issue and not divide on the matter.

The interior minister reiterated his stance on allegations of disrespecting judiciary against the PML-N, saying that questioning “the merits of a judgement” is everyone’s right and that contempt would be if one were to refuse to obey a court decision.

“But as you saw Nawaz Sharif resigned [as soon as Supreme Court disqualified him],” he said.

When asked to comment on the PML-N standing behind the judiciary when Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) complained the same in its last tenure, Iqbal avoided giving a direct response whether the party’s stance is permanent “or only when it is in power”.