London/Lahore: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led government on Saturday decided to boycott the three-judge Supreme Court bench hearing the election delay case after Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) chief Nawaz Sharif. threw its weight behind the new line of action. The ruling coalition agreed.
Leaders of the ruling alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) held a meeting in Lahore today under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
According to JEE News sources, the former prime minister formulated a strategy during a meeting convened at the prime minister’s residence in Model Town to counter the mounting legal pressure on the government by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Ways of generating weight were considered.
The Supreme Court is hearing a case related to the delay in the Punjab Assembly elections amid controversy over the automatic notice taken in this regard.
According to sources, the meeting was held with Nawaz to hear whether the government should cooperate with the ongoing court proceedings or not.
According to sources, Nawaz had a blunt opinion: “There is no expectation of justice from a three-member bench”.
“The three-member bench includes judges appointed by Saqib Nisar [killed by former Supreme Court Chief Justice Justice (retd) Saqib Nisar],” sources quoted Nawaz as saying.
In the consultative meeting, it was agreed that Attorney General of Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan will appear in the court and expressed no confidence in the three-member bench.
Sources said the PDM leadership also supported the suggestion to boycott the bench, which was endorsed by Nawaz, who reiterated that there was no other way to do damage control other than boycotting the bench. There was no way left.
Nawaz was also quoted as saying that the non-constitution of a full court bench against the legitimate demand of the government is indicative of a special agenda.
On Friday, the court also rejected the government’s request for a full court, deepening the ongoing crisis as former prime minister Nawaz Sharif rejected the bench.
Addressing a press conference in London, Sharif expressed his concern over the situation, calling it a “terrible joke” being played on the Pakistani people. He urged the nation to wake up to the severity of the crisis.
Nawaz Sharif also spoke against the decision to disqualify him as Prime Minister and said that it has damaged the future of the country.
He lamented the fact that Pakistan is forced to depend on loans and foreign aid. Nawaz Sharif demanded an answer from those responsible for his disqualification and said that the decision was made for the sake of one person.
The PTI had challenged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) order on March 22 postponing the elections in both provinces. The five-judge bench originally constituted to hear the petition was dissolved twice after two judges recused themselves from the case following the Supreme Court’s order to stay all proceedings under Article 184(3). .
However, after the dismissal of the two judges, a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Umar Atta Bandial and comprising of Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan and Justice Muneeb Akhtar is now hearing the petition of PTI.
On Friday, Parliament approved a new law to curtail the powers of the Supreme Court chief justice, a move that comes amid a standoff between the top judiciary and the government.
Tarar introduced the bill in the lower house of parliament on Wednesday and it was approved by the Senate or the upper house on Thursday.
“Parliament has passed the bill,” Tarar told reporters.
Prime Minister Shehbaz’s government is currently embroiled in a dispute with the Supreme Court over the holding of snap polls in two provinces where former leader Imran Khan dissolved local governments earlier this year to force early elections. .
The government said that it is not economically viable to hold snap elections first and then hold second general elections this year.
The Supreme Court had earlier this month ordered that snap polls be held in the two provinces within 90 days of the dissolution of the two local governments, which will be held by April 30.
According to a copy of the bill, the new draft law, which has been sent to Pakistan’s president for assent, curtails the chief justice’s powers to form panels, hear appeals or assign cases to judges in his team.
This work will now be done by a three-member committee headed by the Chief Justice with two of his senior-most judges as members.
“Every cause, appeal or matter before the Supreme Court shall be heard and disposed of by a bench constituted by the Chief Justice of Pakistan and a committee consisting of the two most senior judges in order of seniority,” it said.
