Islamabad, Feb.14 (ANI): Major Pakistani opposition parties fear a clash between the state institutions following the Presidency’s decision to elevate Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Khwaja Sharif to the Supreme Court and appoint Justice Saqib Nisar as acting chief justice of the LHC.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the main opposition party of the country, has criticized the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) led government’s decision terming it as an ‘unconstitutional’ step.

The PML-N said President Asif Ali Zardari’s decision to elevate the judges by sidelining Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry’s recommendations would result in a clash between vital institutions of the country.

” It is a direct attack on the freedom of the judiciary,” The News quoted PML-N spokesperson Chaudhry Ahsan Iqbal, as saying.

Iqbal said: “It seems that the rulers are playing into the hands of those advisers who had a negative role during the movement for the independence of the judiciary and restoration of the sacked judiciary.”

The Awami National Party (ANP), which is a part of the PPP-led coalition government, also warned about a confrontation between the state institutions, saying Pakistan could not afford such a situation.

“The ANP stands for all the state institutions functioning within their prescribed parameters, as this is the best course in a democratic dispensation,” ANP Senior Vice-President Haji Muhammad Adeel said.

Meanwhile, the Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) has threatened to start a long march towards Islamabad on the judges’ appointment issue.

JI chief Syed Munawwar Hassan said : “Zardari would face isolation if the government does not denotify the judges’ appointment order.” (ANI)