LAHORE - Former prime minister Muhammad Nawzaz Sharif has said it is very dangerous to interpret the legislation done by the parliament as arbitrary and of one’s own choice.

“It is heartening that courts regard Constitution as supreme and sacred. The dictators, who ruled the country for 32 years overthrowing the elected governments, however, threw the Constitution into the dustbin. And the fact is glaring that the Parliament never disrespected or hurt the Constitution anyway,” said Nawaz Sharif while speaking to various delegations of the party which met him at Jati Umra yesterday.

Nawaz Sharif, who was removed as PML-N president by the Supreme Court the same day, said the whole nation was witness to what was going on at present. He said it was highly pernicious to ascribe arbitrariness to the legislation done by the parliament and added, legislation should be sent back to the parliament for removing lacunae or anomaly instead of dubbing it arbitrary or of liking.

“What place a Constitution will get, if laws framed by the parliament become dependent on the judicial endorsement,” he posed a question. Nawaz said the institutions command respect through their performance and character and added, the Constitution which runs system of the state was a sacred document and was framed by the parliament manned by the public representatives.

“Parliament is given respect like a mother all over the world,” the former prime minister said, adding, terming the legislation illogical and person-specific was not good for the system.

Nawaz Sharif said the parliament also determined its own limit and that of other institutions and he thanked that the nation had got the sense that a challenge to the authority of the parliament was challenge to the state.

Meanwhile, the process of consultations has begun in the PML-N for the new party head and acting president till appointment of a permanent one.

Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif visited Jati Umra where he met Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz. Sources say other senior party leaders also contacted the former prime minister and shared views on the decision and possible names for the next head of the party and Senate election for which Nawaz Sharif as party president has awarded tickets to the candidates which now have been declared void by the Supreme Court decision.

Sources say so far, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Begum Kalsoom Nawaz and Maryam Nawaz Sharif are the top contenders to fill the vacant slot of PML-N president. Sources say Nawaz will stay in the party in elderly capacity as party quaid or rahbar for which qualification criteria set in Articles 62 and 63 is not required.

Nawaz and Maryam will appear before the Accountability Court Islamabad on Thursday (today).

Party sources say at this critical juncture PML-N needs a person as head who is capable of keeping the party intact commanding acceptance by all and sundry but also lead the party in next general elections. It may be mentioned that party leaders in their media interaction have said that Shehbaz would be the best choice in case Nawaz Sharif is removed from the party’s top office by the court. However, what finally comes out, will be decided at today’s Punjab House meeting of the party.