ISLAMABAD    -     Prime Minister Shehbaz Shar­if has said that the entire nation and all the institutions will have to be united to protect the Con­stitution collectively.

“The government is commit­ted to sacrifice its political capital to save the state,” said the prime minister while addressing the launching ceremony of "Constitu­tion Mobile App" here yesterday.

He called for self-retrospection to move forward.

He said that Pakistan was cur­rently at the crossroads of con­stitutional challenges, which re­quired a sense of wholeness to be demonstrated by the State in­stitutions.

Shehbaz Sharif said the Consti­tution had its roots in the parlia­ment, adding that according to the world-recognized concept, the judiciary can only interpret the law, but cannot re-write it.

Shehbaz said, “The Constitu­tion has taken birth from the cradle of the parliament. The ju­diciary can interpret the Consti­tution — that is their right — but the judiciary cannot rewrite the Constitution.

“This (rewriting Constitution) is only the parliament’s authori­ty,” he added. The premier went on to say that the “parliament will use its constitutional and legal rights on this” matter.

“It does not happen anywhere in the world that a court issues a stay order against a legislation which is still in the making,” he said. He urged the judiciary to reassess its role and become the protector of the Constitution.

“It is expected from the judi­ciary, the Supreme Court bench and bar that they will become the Constitution’s protector,” he said. He said although politi­cians made mistakes in the past, it was time to rectify them.

“We have indeed learned a les­son and we are making efforts to take Pakistan out of these problems,” he said. “Great peo­ple learn from their mistakes and hold the national interest high.” He said the government took over in difficult times, however, said that it would not hesitate in protecting the State and the Constitution.

PM Sharif said on the eve of the 50th anniversary, the deci­sion to include the 1973 Consti­tution in the syllabus at schools and college levels was remark­able in raising awareness about its sanctity. Shehbaz said it is a great moment that now the Constitution will be accessed through a mobile application. He said it will provide awareness to the youth and citizens of the country about the Constitution. The prime minister praised for­mer prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and other political lead­ers who gave the Constitution of Pakistan to the masses.

He also appreciated all the stakeholders for celebrating the Golden Jubilee of the Con­stitution of Pakistan. In her re­marks on the occasion, Minister for Information and Broadcast­ing Marriyum Aurangzeb said, “We have achieved an important milestone of incorporating the Constitution in curriculum for awareness of youth of the coun­try.” She said it will become part of the curriculum by next year.

Marriyum Aurangzeb thanked Interior Minister Rana Sanaul­lah for providing support in de­veloping the App.

She said with the inauguration of this App, youth will be able to have access to all articles and chapters of the Constitution. She said App will be available in Urdu and English.

This App is being released as part of the Golden Jubilee cele­brations of the Constitution of Pakistan. The “Constitution Mo­bile App” has been developed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting under the lead­ership of Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb. NADRA also supported in the prepara­tion of this mobile App.

PM DIRECTS PAK EMBASSY IN KSA TO ASSIST BUS ACCIDENT’S AFFECTED PEOPLE

Meanwhile, the prime minister directed the Pakistan embassy in Saudi Arabia to provide all possi­ble assistance to Pakistani Umra pilgrims affected in a bus acci­dent. Nine Pakistani citizens in­cluding women and children were killed and five Umrah pilgrims sustained injuries in the traffic ac­cident near Al-Qassim area.