President Asif Zardari has said that all organs of state must function within their prescribed roles. While talking to Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon on Thursday, he also said that institutions would take time to operate within their limits. The President should have also mentioned who or what was to do the prescribing. The Constitution provides the answer, and prescribes the Supreme Court to interpret it. Therefore, the two acts (on contempt of court and dual nationality issues) which his government is bringing in, both challenge recent decisions of the Supreme Court. It is not the case that these decisions were reached because the court was bound to act in that fashion by the existing law, and a change in the law, which only the Legislature can carry out is needed. In both cases, the SC reached decisions based on existing law, as well as judicial philosophy. The Executive is required to enforce those orders, not set itself up as a sort of counter-authority, able to offer a conflicting interpretation of the law. The case for disqualifying those who have taken up foreign citizenship from membership to the Legislature is based on the simple concern that those involved could find themselves facing divided loyalties while making decisions.The President seems to wish to avoid blame for the clash of institutions. To do so, he must take necessary action, starting with an end to the attempt to save himself from the consequences of his past actions. Instead of avoiding the Swiss courts so strenuously that he has had to sacrifice one Prime Minister and risk losing another, he should welcome the opportunity of clearing his name by obeying the court order. There must be an end to legislation which is more of a challenge to the Supreme Court than an attempt to solve the problems of the people.The President should realize that the elections gave his party control of the Legislature, and thus of the Executive, but the Judiciary remains independent, and if there is any clash of institutions, it is his party that will lose out.