LONDON: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has criticised the judiciary for what he calls its “double standards” and urged all institutions to act legally and within the limits of their authority.
He stressed that the right granted to parliament by the Constitution cannot be taken away and that everyone must respect the authority of parliament and the Constitution in his remarks made outside the home of his brother and party leader, Nawaz Sharif. The prime minister added that applying double standards to different groups of people is unhealthy for any community and urged all institutions to act responsibly.
Sharif compared the current state of affairs to that of the former administration, saying that opposition parties were “jailed in fake cases” with little regard for their rights, health, or well-being. In contrast, he claimed that the legal system is currently swiftly processing bail requests, which he believes displays unfairness and is unacceptable.
The purpose of the prime minister’s trip to London is to attend King Charles’ coronation and take part in a gathering of Commonwealth leaders. As Nawaz has also criticised the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Punjab elections and demanded the accountability of senior judges, including the chief justice, some have speculated that his meeting with his brother will cover the ongoing dispute with the judiciary.