ISLAMABAD: After full day’s hearing, Supreme Court (SC) reserved its verdict on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s petition regarding postponement of polls in Punjab. Verdict will be announced today (Tuesday). Three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Ijazul Ahsan was hearing petition. As CJP announced reserving verdict, he observed that apex court did not wish to put people in difficult situation. “Court will be blamed if something were to happen during polls,” he stated. Justice Bandial added that it was to avoid this situation that political parties were given option to resolve matter through political dialogue. None of parties responded to this offer, he maintained. “Constitution is clear about when elections should be held,” CJP maintained.

Chief Justice stated that people believed they were above Constitution and wanted their cases to be decided by judges of their preference. To this, Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Awan said that no one had done so. CJP said that comment of “Six-judge panel” was made by AGP and ECP’s counsel Irfan Qadir, court heard remark but chose not to react to it.

He continued that Parliament and government were respected and political solution was found when crisis arose. Irked by government declaring ‘No-confidence’ in SC bench hearing case, court refused to listen to arguments of ruling parties’ lawyers. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz lawyer Akram Sheikh stated that he had appeared before SC to assist it. He contended that he could make his own decisions if party asked him to support something illegal.  CJP stated that had respect for Sheikh, Farooq H Naek and Kamran Murtaza. However, ruling parties had expressed no confidence in three-member bench hearing case.

Adding to this, Justice Akhtar said that lawyer’s power of attorney was also not filed in personal capacity, adding that government’s stance was relayed to court by its staff through statement shared from PML-N’s Twitter account. Earlier during hearing, SC directed defence secretary to submit classified report to explain reasons why armed forces are not available to perform security duties in general elections of provincial assemblies. CJP Bandial asked Defence Secretary Lieutenant General Rahmood-ul-Zaman to consider other forces like Pakistan Air Force, Navy and Rangers if armed forces were not available. “These have same respect as Pakistan Army,” CJP said. He also asked whether reserved army officials could be called for elections duty.

Earlier, defence secretary requested to allow in-camera briefing on this matter. Bench, however asked him to submit written answer in sealed envelope first. Justice Ahsan said court understood sensitive matters and did not want them to be public. He stated that court did not want to create issues for national security officials or public.

Published in The Daily National Courier, April, 04 2023

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