Govt demands CJ Bandial to step down
ISLAMABAD: REFERENCES: The ongoing battle between the government and Pakistani Chief Justice Umar Ata Ban dial seems to have reached a point of no end as the former has asked the latter to resign over “controversial decisions” he took while directing the electoral body to hold elections. in Punjab on 14 May.
In a strong press conference against the Chief Justice and two other judges, Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Mariyah Aurangzeb asked the Chief Justice to resign as his post has become controversial, especially after the Supreme Court Justice Athar Minilab of Punjab Poll Case.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif also accused the chief justice of pushing the Pakistan Tarek-e-Inset (PTI) agenda and demanded his resignation.
In a tweet, the ousted prime minister said the courts tend to pull countries out of trouble instead of pulling them into unity. He also questioned the power exercised by the CJP to impose minority verdicts on majority decisions.
While demanding the chief justice’s resignation, Nawaz wrote that Justice Ban dial was “pushing PTI’s agenda while insulting its position as well as the constitution”, he should resign immediately instead of causing further damage.
At a press conference, the government spokesperson said the decision by Justice Minilab has put a question mark on the functioning of the judiciary, adding that on a petition already dismissed by four judges, a three-member bench headed by the CJP.
The Information Minister questioned why the court was established and why it was decided without an application to the court, saying how could people accept a decision that most judges do not accept.
The minister reiterated that political parties are not running for elections and pointed out that the issue of elections in Punjab is no longer just about elections as it has become an issue of “bench settlement” and so on.
Mariyah asked who would be trusted to make a decision if the constitutional crisis came from the Supreme Court itself. “Abuse of power and arbitrary interpretation of the Constitution cannot be tolerated,” he declared.
Speaking about the court cases, he said lawyers of all political parties were present before the High Court but were not heard saying only those who applied were heard. “Why weren’t these 13 organizations heard?” he asked the scientist.
The government’s demand for the CJP’s resignation came after the National Assembly (NA) passed a resolution declaring “parliament rejects” the recent “minority” verdict of the Supreme Court ordering elections to be held in Punjab on May 14; prohibits the Prime Minister and the federal cabinet from implementing it; and asks the Supreme Court to hold a plenary session to consider the “rewriting” of the constitution under Article 63-A of the Constitution of Pakistan.
The lower house of parliament, while expressing concern over the undue interference of the judiciary in political matters, said the recent Supreme Court verdict was creating political instability in the country and paving the way for bifurcation of the constituent parts of the federation . . . . In order to bring political and economic stability to the country, it is stated in the governing coalition resolution, the council believes that holding simultaneous general elections throughout the country is the solution to all existing problems.
