CJP Bandial should be summoned into parliament for interfering in legislative affairs: Abbasi

Former prime minister and senior vice president of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said on Wednesday that the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial should be summoned into the parliament for his interference in legislative affairs, Aaj News reported.

During the ongoing National Assembly session, Abbasi said the Supreme Court had been interfering in political matters, which must be stopped.

He said the top court recently sought the record of the proceedings of the NA sessions with regard to the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023, which was beyond its jurisdiction.

"It is a serious matter. You [the speaker] should take the house into confidence before taking any action. The proceedings of the parliament cannot be shared with any institution," he said, urging the Speaker National Assembly to summon the CJP and seek answers.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also opposed sharing the record of parliamentary proceedings with the apex court, saying the parliament had been "sacrificing" prime ministers in the past, but not anymore.

He said the parliament must protect the leader of the house from any judicial coup.

On Tuesday, Khawaja Asif demanded that the judiciary be held accountable for disqualifying former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Yousuf Raza Gilani from public office

In a hard-hitting address in the National Assembly, Asif targetted the judiciary, condemning their actions that "undermined the supremacy of the parliament".

The defence minister said the judiciary has previously sacked prime ministers on minor issues.

"The judiciary hanged one of the prime ministers and disqualified Mian Nawaz Sharif for life. This should stop here. The members of this house must protect the leader of the house, regardless of the party he represents."