In an unusual move, Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has called for a national debate on the future civil-military relations, the role of the judiciary and other state institutions in the country.
Addressing a news conference days before the end of his term in office, Abbasi said the issue of civil-military ties would remain there irrespective of who formed the next government, besides the role of other stakeholders like the judiciary, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the media.
When the judiciary interfered in the working of the executive and the NAB crippled the government functioning, no government would be able to work and perform, the prime minister was quoted as saying by the Dawn newspaper today.
Abbasi was apparently referring to the Supreme Court disqualifying former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and the NAB registering three corruption cases against the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo in connection with the Panama Papers case.
Therefore, there should be a national dialogue on what should be the role of the judiciary and NAB when the next government came to power, he said yesterday.
Presenting an overview of the PML-N government's five-year performance ahead of elections on July 25, he said, "There should also be a national dialogue on civil-military relationship."