Skip to main content

CJ Bandial deplores protests at Supreme Court gates

ISLAMABAD: Without pointing fingers at anyone, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial on Wednesday wondered what those holding protests at the Supreme Court gates on May 15 had gained, other than hampering the process of justice. “This is not right, since dispensation of justice is the virtue of Allah Almighty and any interference entails ‘consequences’,” the CJP remarked while heading a three-judge bench that had taken up Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) review petition against the April 4 verdict of fixing May 14 as the date for holding Punjab Assembly elections. The remarks were an indirect reference to the PDM-sponsored protests and sit-in staged on the Constitution Avenue, right in front of the apex court gates meant exclusively for the use of judges, to demand the CJP’s immediate resignation. Justice Bandial, however, appreciated the government’s initiative of enacting the SC Review of Judgments and Orders Act, 2023 after realising that constitutional institutions should run in accordance with the law. The government’s thinking was not based on arithmetic — another indirect reference to the four-to-three-judge majority decision controversy — at present, he noted. Bench clubs challenges to recently-passed bill on judgements with ECP review petition on Punjab polls However, the apex court clubbed together all three challenges to the vires of the act, to be heard along with the ECP review petition on Tuesday. The counsel for the ECP, Sajeel Shaharyar Swati, later told reporters that a larger bench would assemble to take up the matter at the next hearing, since Section 3 of the act requires hearing of the review petitions by a bench larger than the one that had pronounced original judgement. The court decided to fix both matters — the ECP review petition and challenges to the vires of the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023 — on June 13, but the principle effort would be to proceed with the review petition to reach a decision. It also issued notices to the AGP under Section 27A of the Civil Procedure Code, 1908 as well as respondents for determination of the constitutional questions. The CJP conceded that though it was not possible to reverse the clock of May 14 poll date, the deadline set certain principles of the Constitution and asked if any sanctity was attached to the constitutional requirement of holding elections within 90 days after the dissolution of the provincial assembly. How could this stipulated period of 90 days be disregarded and whether any grounds exist for the discharge of this constitutional obligation as well as what would be its consequences if done validly or invalidly, he wondered. Justice Bandial recalled that when the court had asked for guarantee that the elections would be held on Oct 8, the ECP lawyer had replied he was ‘not sure’ about that date too. “This is a constitutional question concerning the people of Pakistan,” the CJP observed, regretting that the incapacity of the commission to handle situations also come to the fore during the previous hearings. “The constitution is a beautiful document and we all agree to it,” he remarked. Published in Dawn, June 8th, 2023
http://dlvr.it/SqLJ75

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sindh police chief takes notice over viral alleged aerial firing videos of DIG East’s son

Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ghulam Nabi Memon took notice after videos of aerial firing allegedly by the son of a high-ranking Karachi police official surfaced on Thursday. Videos shared on social media allegedly showed the son of Karachi East Deputy Inspector General of Police Azfar Mahesar firing a pistol and rifles into the air while travelling in a luxury car. In one such video, policemen were also purportedly visible. Footage of the alleged incidents went viral on social media. A statement issued today from the Sindh police said IGP Memon ordered an inquiry against the DIG East and directed Karachi’s additional IGP to carry out the investigation. The statement added that departmental action would be initiated upon the inquiry’s completion. It said the investigation would also probe whether the weapons used in the incident were officially issued or not. “No one will be allowed to spread fear and chaos like this,” IGP Memon vowed. Meanwhile, DIG Mahesar
Post a Comment
Read more

Casualties feared in Dir clashes between FC, intruding militants: reports

LOWER DIR: Casualties are feared on both sides as militants from Afghanistan reportedly attacked Frontier Corps (FC) personnel at multiple locations at the Pak-Afghan border in Maidan area of Lower Dir district on Saturday, as per unconfirmed reports. According to local residents and official sources, there were reports of militants’ infiltration from the Afghan side via the Shahi border area at Lamotai Top, Suripao and Safarai forest. However, the reports were yet to be confirmed by Inter Services Public Relations, the military’s media wing. On getting information about the alleged infiltration, troops of the paramilitary force, FC, led by Captain Yasin, Captain Asfandiar and Subedar Hamza, advanced to block the militants’ movement, as per reports. The militants allegedly attacked the troops, who also retaliated, thus prompting fears of casualties on both sides. The security forces surrounded alleged militants at three different locations. Later, gunship helicopters lau
Post a Comment
Read more

Family points finger at PPP MNA, two sons in journalist Nasrullah Gadani’s murder in Ghotki

SUKKUR: Slain journalist Nasrullah Gadani’s mother and two relatives have reiterated the allegation in statements recorded under Section 164 CrPC in a Mirpur Mathelo court that Pakistan Peoples Party’s MNA and his two sons had Nasrullah killed through their men. Ms Pathani Gadani, who was complainant in the case, and witnesses, Yaqoub Gadani and Salahuddin Gadani along with their counsel advocate Salahuddin Panhwar appeared before the second civil and first magistrate the other day and told him that PPP MNA Khalid Khan Loond, his sons, Shehbaz Loond, who was chairman of Mirpur Mathelo municipal committee, and Noor Mohammad Loond, had Nasrullah slain but the trio was so powerful that police had not dared include their names in the FIR. They appealed to the court to bring Nasrullah’s real killers to justice as per law and serve speedy justice to the bereaved family. Gadanis’ counsel Salahuddin Panhwar told media persons that the complainant and the witnesses had clearly stated t
Post a Comment
Read more