ISLAMABAD: The Shehbaz Sharif-led government is considering filing references against Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and two other Supreme Court justices who are hearing a crucial case of elections’ delay in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This was revealed by Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah in an interview with a private TV channel.
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The revelation came within hours after the ruling coalition partners jointly announced to boycott the Supreme Court proceedings until and unless a full court bench was formed.
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It may be recalled here that in April 2022, the Shehbaz Sharif-led government came into power when the Supreme Court took suo motu notice of the ruling of then Deputy Speaker of National Assembly Qasim Suri, who had rejected the motion of no confidence alleging that it was based on a cipher-related conspiracy. The then-PM Imran Khan had later dissolved the National Assembly.
Interestingly, the three top SC judges who are facing political onslaught by the ruling coalition partners were part of the same bench that had taken Suo Motu notice against Imran Khan-led set up and ousted them from power.
Sanaullah said that although the government had not taken a final decision yet, it was actively considering the move as the three judges had issued verdicts that went against the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). According to Sanaullah, one of the decisions pertained to Article 63, which was regarded as “rewriting the constitution” by everyone familiar with the constitution.
He alleged that those judges wanted to decide the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa elections case “by themselves” and refused to accept the verdict of the majority-ruled bench by rejecting the plea to form a full-court bench.
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Sanaullah also accused PTI chief Imran Khan of being responsible for divisions within the judiciary, and PTI government’s reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa sowed this division.
Shebaz Sharif and other political leaders, including Bilawal, had been given a chance to speak at the rostrum in the Supreme Court after which their appeal of restoring the National Assembly was not only accepted but the Supreme Court had set a deadline to execute the vote of no confidence against Imran Khan, as a result of which the former government was ousted.
Responding to a question on throwing PTI chief Imran Khan out of politics, Sanaullah said only elections were a way to throw someone out of politics in democracy, adding that all political parties agreed on this point. “If he [Mr. Khan] wants us eliminated, why would we not [see him gone]?” he added.
