Non-implementation of NRO case: NAB chairman, law secretary, others to appear before SC today

KHUDAYAR MOHLA

ISLAMABAD: A special Supreme Court bench will be examining the six options related to non-implementation on National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) verdict case from Monday (today).

The Chief Justice has constituted a 7-member special bench comprising Justice Nasir-ul-Mulik, Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa, Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany, Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry, Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Muhammad Ather Saeed to hear the case.

The Attorney General for Pakistan, the Federal Law Secretary, the Chairman NAB and the Prosecutor-General Accountability will appear before the special bench in person. Earlier, a five-member SC bench headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa observed that action may be taken against the President for violating the Constitution and forwarded the six options in the case to Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, for taking a final decision on Jan 16 (today).

The Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa-led bench stated that prima facie the Prime Minister "is not an honest man" and that "he has violated his oath," giving six options to government to make things crystal clear. Otherwise, contempt proceedings against the Prime Minister and the federal law secretary will be initiated, according to 5-member SC bench.

The six options are: the prime minister is held in violation of his oath of office, proceedings may be initiated against the Chief Executive of the Federation i.e. the Prime Minister, the Federal Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights Division and the Federal Secretary Law, Justice and Human Rights Division for committing contempt of the SC; the bench may appoint a Commission to execute the relevant parts of the judgment passed and directions issued in the case of Dr Mobashir Hassan versus Federation of Pakistan; afford an opportunity of hearing to the affected person/persons; appropriate recommendations or directions may be made or issued by the bench against the NAB chairman; and the bench may exercise judicial restraint and leave the matter to the better judgment of the people of the country or their representatives in the Parliament to appropriately deal with the "delinquent".