Prime Minister Imran Khan has regretted that “there have been separate sets of rules for the poor and the rich” in Pakistan.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Islamabad District Courts’ building on Tuesday, the premier spoke about the rule of law in the country and delivery of speedy justice, and pointed out where things started go awry.
“We saw Pakistan moving forward, but all of a sudden, things started moving in the opposite direction,” said the premier while recalling that the country was developing in the sixties.
Premier Imran drew comparison between other poor countries like India and Bangladesh with Pakistan and deplored that we have been left far behind and their economies have started to flourish.
“We have lagged behind due to lack of rule of law,” the premier said, and added that the powerful and influential segments of society always want to be above the law.
He criticised General (retd) Pervez Musharraf who promulgated the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) “under which cases against many politicians, political workers and bureaucrats were withdrawn.”
“The biggest injustice Gen Musharraf did to the country was the NRO,” he said, adding that he had no right to give NRO to the powerful because the looted money was not his but the nation’s.
“Only a society that upholds the rule of law prospers,” he continued.
“The weak want justice and the strong want to be above the law,” the premier said, and assured the poor that he would extend every possible cooperation to the judiciary in dispensing speedy and inexpensive justice to the common man.
“The provision of justice to the masses is the PTI’s top priority,” he maintained.
Prime Minister Imran said he was proud to be a part of the 2007 lawyers’ movement which was aimed at strengthening democracy and ensuring rule of law.
It was a “historic” struggle, the premier said, but regretted that the movement could not achieve its desired results.
Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Athar Minallah appreciated the premier for the initiative of the Islamabad District Courts’ building, which aims to facilitate judges, lawyers and litigants.
He said the district courts guarantee of the rights to the weak segments of society.
