Judiciary can interpret constitution, not rewrite it: PML-N leader

Sialkot: Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, while reacting to the Supreme Court's decision regarding reserved seats, Saturday said that the judiciary can interpret the constitution but it is not their job to rewrite it.

Addressing a press conference in Sialkot, Punjab, he stated that the interpretation of the constitution is the work of the judiciary, the political implications of yesterday's decision are clear.

He added that the responsibilities of all institutions are listed in the constitution. Making the constitution is the job of the parliament and it will continue to do so in the future.

Khawaja Asif further said that whoever did not knock the door also got justice.

It is pertinent to note that yesterday the Supreme Court annulled the decision of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the case of Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) reserved seats and declared Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as entitled to reserved seats.

A 13-member full bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa declared the Election Commission's decision unconstitutional, written by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah.

Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandukhel, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Ayesha Malik, Justice Athar Minullah, Justice Syed Hassan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Shahid Waheed, Justice Irfan Saadat Khan and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan were part of the full court.

Justice Qazi Faez said that the decision has been given in the ratio of 5/8. Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Shahid Waheed, Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Ayesha Malik, Justice Irfan Saadat and Justice Athar Minullah gave the majority decision.

While CJP Qazi Faez, Justice Jamal Mandukhel, Justice Naeem Afghan, Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Yahya Afridi opposed the petitions.