ISLAMABAD: Minister for Climate Change, Senator Mushahiddullah Khan said Friday that judiciary was a pillar of the state and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and its leadership had always respected it and worked for strengthening all the national institutions.

Talking to a private news channel, he said that the PML-N had never criticized the judiciary, however added that the party had been showing reservations over the court decisions, which was the constitutional right of every citizen of the country.

He said the former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif was not disqualified on corruption charges but on having an Iqama, adding that not even a single corruption case was proved against the PML-N leadership.

The minister said Nawaz Sharif was still popular political leader of the country and was addressing historic public gatherings and people were expressing deep affiliations with their beloved leader.

He said difference of opinion was the beauty of democracy and the PML-N was fully united under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif.

Replying to a question, he said Senate elections would be held on time and as per the constitutional of the country, adding that Senator Ishaq Dar had played important role to strengthen national economy.

Mushahiddullah Khan appreciated the role of Raza Rubbani as the chairman of the Senate and said that he was a seasoned and great democratic politician.

To another question, he said Muhammad Nawaz Sharif had nominated Shehbaz Sharif for next premiership of the country, adding that Shehbaz Sharif had played vital role in wining the general elections 2013.

He welcomed Mushahid Hussain Syed for joining the PML-N and said he was a good politician with great abilities as technocrat.

He said Co-Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and ex-president Asif Ali Zardari had played a negative role in recent change in Balochistan government.

The minister for climate change said the government had taken measures for making pollution free environment and was spending eight per cent of its budget for clean energy, adding that cutting of forests was one of the reason of air pollution.

He rejected the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan's claim that his party's government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had planted one billion and 400 million trees in the province.