Amid rising tensions over the nomination of six judges to the Supreme Courtroom and the switch of jurists to the Islamabad Excessive Courtroom (IHC), Prime Minister’s aide on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah on Wednesday mentioned that the federal government, judiciary and state have been equally weak within the present scenario.
“Such a scenario shouldn’t be allowed to proceed,” the PML-N chief mentioned whereas responding to a query concerning the authorities’s plans to file a reference towards two senior judges of the Supreme Courtroom throughout Geo Information’ programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’.
A day earlier, Sanaullah hinted {that a} reference might be filed towards two senior apex court docket judges “over their conduct in sure issues”.
“Their [two SC judges] common angle is to jot down letters on each challenge…the letters make headlines first and later attain the addressee,” he mentioned whereas chatting with a non-public information channel a day earlier.
His remarks got here amid robust opposition over the nomination of six judges to the Supreme Courtroom by the Judicial Fee of Pakistan (JCP) assembly, which was boycotted by PTI lawmakers and two senior SC judges. The chief justices of all excessive courts, besides the Lahore Excessive Courtroom (LHC) have been among the many six judges nominated.
Earlier, three judges — from Sindh, Balochistan, and Lahore — have been transferred to the IHC, drawing extreme criticism from the authorized fraternity, together with the IHC judges.
The 5 justices, contesting the seniority standards, have been of the view that the judges transferred from different excessive courts ought to take oath anew to reset their seniority.
Nonetheless, their illustration was rejected by IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, saying the brand new oath was not required as their seniority was calculated from the time they took oath of their respective excessive court docket and never from the date of their switch.
In the meantime, PTI Senator Hamid Khan mentioned that the lawyer group would problem the nominations of the six judges within the high court docket and vowed to proceed the “protest motion”.
Individually, all three consultant bar councils of the federal capital — Islamabad Bar Council (IBC), Islamabad Excessive Courtroom Bar Affiliation (IHCBA), and Islamabad District Bar Affiliation (IDBA) — introduced launching a protracted march throughout the listening to of twenty sixth amendment-related petitions.
Talking throughout as we speak’s programme, Sanaullah clarified that his remarks of submitting a reference towards the judges have been neither an announcement nor a risk, emphasising that the matter is a trigger for concern for everybody, together with himself.
He identified that the chief justice of Pakistan has by no means been a part of any grouping or confrontation.
He mentioned regardless of having their places of work shut to one another, the senior judges wrote letters containing vital remarks towards one another, giving the impression {that a} main disagreement was current amongst them.
“Judges converse by way of verdicts. Talking by way of letters and writing letters in such a fashion, that they’re leaked to the media earlier than even reaching thr addressee…if this isn’t misconduct then what’s,” he requested.
Just like the apex court docket, Sanaullah mentioned, discord was now spreading to the excessive courts and bar councils — apparently referring to the criticism of judges’ switch to the IHC.
Citing Article 200 of the Structure, the premier’s aide addressed the controversy surrounding the switch of excessive court docket judges.
He said that the switch didn’t occur as a result of an government order however by way of the settlement of three excessive court docket judges which is required for transferring a excessive court docket choose.