ISLAMABAD: The ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government has demanded Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial to resign, following the detailed note of Justice Athar Minallah in the case pertaining to elections in Punjab.
On Friday, in a press conference, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb stated that the chief justice has become controversial now; therefore, he should resign.
She said that the detailed note of Justice Minallah is a question mark on Supreme Court’s proceedings in the case pertaining to elections in Punjab.
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She maintained that Justice Minallah’s note proved that the proceedings, after the petition was dismissed by a majority of 4-3 bench, was wrong interpretation of the Constitution, misconduct and undue interference by the judiciary in politics.
The minister said the Supreme Court’s handling ofthis case has created a constitutional crisis in the country.
No political party ever evaded elections, but elections should be held upon the completion of constitutional tenure of the assemblies and at the same time across the country and should not be susceptible to the desire of any individual, she added.
The crisis persists as the demand came a day after the National Assembly passed a resolution rejecting the three-member apex court bench’s “minority” decision on the Punjab elections and asked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his cabinet not to implement the verdict.
Justice Minallah was among the judges who rejected the suo motu notice taken by the CJP regarding the delay in polls in KP and Punjab on the advice of a SC bench hearing the Ghulam Mehmood Dogar case.
The minister said that CJP’s suo motu notice had already been dismissed with a 4-3 vote. However, a three-member bench was formed on a petition that was already dismissed and when there was no petition, questions arise as to why the bench was formed and why a decision was made, she said.
Political parties do not shy away from elections, but this is no longer just an election issue. It has become a matter of “bench fixing”, she maintained. She further asked why Justice Ijazul Ahsan was chosen for the three-member bench who was “a controversial” judge. She said it was a perception that every decision went in favour of the PTI when Ijazul Ahsan was part of any bench.
Marriyum said that 13 political parties were present in the court but their voices were not heard. Even their lawyers were present, yet none of them was given a chance to speak, she added.
But Asad Umar was invited (to the court) and was asked about prevailing economic situation of the country, she said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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