MM News

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to submit reference against Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) and two other Supreme Court (SC) judges, the three-member bench which nullified the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to postpone Punjab elections, a private TV channel reported on Wednesday, citing sources.

The decision was taken during a meeting of leaders of all coalition parties, chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad.

According to sources, the meeting considered to submit a reference against three-member bench, which includes CJP Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Muneeb Akhtar and Justice Ijazul Ahsan, in Supreme Judicial Council (SJC).

Sources further claimed that the meeting also decided to ratify federal cabinet’s rejection of the Supreme Court’s verdict by Parliament. During the meeting, PM Shehbaz Sharif also gave important task to legal team.

The meeting also expressed concern over the delay in signing the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill 2023, which aims to curtail the suo motu powers of office of the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP).

Addressing the meeting of the leaders of all coalition parties, the prime minister referred to a decision of the three-judge SC bench over holding of elections in two provinces and said a mockery was being made with the Constitution and law and the fate of the nation was being decided with strange decisions.

He said he wanted to say that such kind of treatment with the Constitution and law had never been witnessed before and “such a terrible scene has never met eyes”.

The three-member bench had rejected the appeal for the constitution of a full bench and similarly, political parties’ pleas were also rejected, he added.

The prime minister elaborated that last week, they held a detailed meeting, followed by two cabinet meetings and parliamentary meetings over the evolving situation.

How a decision of another bench was neglected while members of the three-judge bench who had earlier recused themselves and again joined it, he questioned.

A circular was issued over Justice Isa’s directive, followed by the formation of a six-member bench that took up the issue and decided it, he added.

The prime minister said the members of the National Assembly had debated the issue in the ongoing session and a resolution had already been passed while tomorrow, another resolution would be tabled in the House.

He also highlighted the directive of the three-member bench with regard to the holding of elections in Punjab province and the observation over the election in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The prime minister said the purpose behind holding of the meeting of coalition parties was to mull over the situation and evolve a solid response.