ISLAMABAD -UNS: Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa said on Wednesday “we want to know who the real mastermind of Faizabad sit-in was.”
The CJP gave this remark while hearing several review petitions on Faizabad sit-in verdict of 2019 at the head of a three-member bench of the Supreme Court here. The bench includes Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Athar Minallah.
Chief Justice Isa also rejected the government’s recently formed fact-finding committee responsible for compliance with directions included in the Supreme Court’s February 6, 2019 Faizabad sit-in case decision.
Wednesday’s proceedings
When the proceedings started today, the CJP directed the Attorney General to read the order of the previous hearing. After he finished reading, the chief justice said Absar Alam had levelled serious allegations against the employees of the Ministry of Defence.
Referring to former Pemra chief Alam’s statement, the CJP observed that all institutions, including the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), were not independent. He asked the AGP “do you want to withdraw the review petition as some other petitioners have done.” The AGP replied that a fact-finding committee had been constituted.
Chief Justice Isa said keeping the allegations of Absar Alam in view, this matter is related to you [federal government]. The CJP asked him when the fact-finding committee was established. The AGP said it was set up on Oct 19.
The chief justice then asked to whom the committee would present its report. The AGP said it would submit its report to the Ministry of Defence and the Supreme Court. CJP Isa observed this whole exercise was an eyewash.
Justice Minallah asked the AGP whether he could justify what was happening in the country was according to the constitution.
The chief justice intervened and said: “You are not capable of handling this matter.” “A gentleman is imported from outside and the whole country is paralysed,” he said.
The CJP remarked that the application of TORs was so broad that everyone would be acquitted. Billions of rupees have been lost but the government does not care.
