Ruling alliance of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on Saturday expressed complete distrust in the three-member bench of the Supreme Court hearing the suo motu case regarding the polls’ delay in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“The ruling parties have no faith in the three-member bench of the Supreme Court,” declared the PDM leaders in a huddle which was presided over by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Lahore via video link to devise a future strategy on looming constitutional crises along with prevailing economic and political crisis.
According to a declaration of the huddle shared on the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) twitter handle, the meeting stressed that a larger bench of the Supreme Court has already dismissed the election petitions by a majority. “The Chief Justice wants to impose a minority decision on the majority.”
حکومت میں شامل جماعتوں کے اہم مشاورتی اجلاس میں اہم فیصلے
حکمران جماعتوں نے چیف جسٹس کی سربراہی میں سپریم کورٹ کا تین رکنی بینچ پر عدم اعتماد کا اظہار کر دیا
تین رکنی بینچ پر اعتماد نہیں ہے، حکمران جماعتوں کا اعلان pic.twitter.com/CSYleuDUtV
— PMLN (@pmln_org) April 1, 2023
The meeting demanded of the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) to take steps to dispel the impression that the PTI was given special treatment in the courts.
The PDM leaders said the bench, headed by Justice Faez Isa, had already asked to halt proceedings on the cases being heard under Section 184 (3) of the Constitution. “It is mandatory for everyone to respect the decision of Justice Faez Isa.”
The meeting also objected inclusion of Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan in the three-member bench and termed the move “unfair” which, according to the PDM leaders, was clear violation of the procedure and precedents of the apex court.
They said on the one hand, the politicians were being asked to sit together for resolving the prevailing crisis, on the other hand , there was a clear division within the apex court.
The meeting demanded from the CJP and other two judges to withdraw from the polls’ delay case.
The PDM also demanded that elections should be held in the country at the same time.
“Holding transparent and impartial elections is a fundamental constitutional requirement and deviation from it will push the country into political crisis,” read a declaration issued by the PDM.
The PDM meeting also supported the recent legislation passed by the Parliament to limit the CJP’s power regarding suo motu notice and constitution of benches on his own choice.
Addressing a news conference in Islamabad, PDM President Maulana Fazlur Rehman said the chief justice and the other two judges should morally recuse themselves from the case.
He alleged that a few judges wanted to give relief to Imran Khan who wanted to divide institutions.
