Tag: politics latest

  • Non-bailable warrants issued for Imran Khan Toshakhana case; bail granted in prohibited funding, terrorism cases

    Non-bailable warrants issued for Imran Khan Toshakhana case; bail granted in prohibited funding, terrorism cases

    An Islamabad court has issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case.

    The district and sessions court heard the Toshakhana case where Khan’s lawyer Ali Bukhari and Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) lawyer Saad Hasan were present in court. The hearing of the case was conducted by judge Zafar Iqbal.

    Khan’s lawyer informed the court that PTI chief will not be able to appear in the court today. Bukhari requested the court to adjourn the hearing for five days. The court had repeatedly asked Khan to appear at the hearing. However, Khan failed to do so, citing his injured leg and security reasons.

    The Election Comission of Pakistan’s (ECP) counsel opposed the request, saying the PTI chief did not want to appear before the court. “It is not the court’s concern how far the party head is travelling from to reach the court.”

    He pointed out that Imran could also appear before that court if he was coming to the judicial complex.

    The PTI lawyer said his client could come to the court when he was free of the other two cases within the judicial operational timings.

    “He should also come here as indictment is pending. Once indicted, he can head to the other courts,” the judge responded.

    Khan arrived at Islamabad’s judicial complex on Tuesday afternoon to attend two separate hearings of prohibited funding and terrorism cases filed against him.

    Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) Judge Raja Jawad Abbas approved Khan’s interim bail until March 9 in the terrorism case, while banking court Judge Rakhshinda Shaheen confirmed bail for the PTI chief in the prohibited funding case.

    Khan was required to appear in person in four different cases in Islamabad courts today. The foreign funding case is in a banking court and the terrorism case is in an anti-terrorism court located inside the judicial complex, while Toshakhana and attempted murder cases will be heard at a sessions’ court in F-8 Kacheri.

    A large number of PTI workers entered the judicial complex with Khan’s entourage, knocking down its gate and creating chaos as the former Prime Minister’s car arrived at the Complex.

    Security arrangements at Sector G-11 of the Judicial Complex were disrupted as PTI workers removed all barriers. Meanwhile, security has also been tightened at the F-8 kachehri.

    Islamabad Police also took to Twitter and said, “A suspicious person was identified in the crowd. The man was wearing a camouflage jacket and a black cap and was near Imran Khan’s car. People are requested not to form a crowd. Otherwise tear gas can be used.”

    The banking court postponed the proceedings scheduled for all the cases against Khan, citing security concerns. 

    The court had summoned the PTI chief to appear before it today in the prohibited funding case.

    An anti-terrorism court granted interim bail to the PTI chair in the terrorism case filed against him after countrywide protests following his disqualification in the Toshakhana reference.

    ATC judge Raja Jawad heard the case and granted bail till March 9.

  • SC crisis continues as Justice Faez Isa refuses to hear cases, summons court registrar over changes in benches

    SC crisis continues as Justice Faez Isa refuses to hear cases, summons court registrar over changes in benches

    Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Yahya Afridi of the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) have taken notice of the procedure for scheduling hearings in the apex court, summoning Registrar Ishrat Ali to appear before them.

    The court summoned the registrar to appear before the two Justices along with all records, stating that there is no “transparency” in his office.

    The development came after Justice Faez Isa, the second senior most judge in the court, found his bench changed in the morning from what it was yesterday. The future Chief Justice said that the cases whose files he had read yesterday had been changed while the judge who was with him on the bench had been changed too.

    “I am a judge of the Supreme Court, I have also been the Chief Justice of Balochistan High Court for five years. We want transparency, if the registrar transfers the case from one bench to another, how will there be transparency,” Justice Isa asked.

    Faez Isa also said that it seems that a registrar is more powerful than a judge like him. “I cannot hear the cases dated 2010 because the registrar appoints the cases for hearing. Can I call the registrar and ask that put up such-and-such case before the bench?”

    The honourable judge asked the registrar what is the policy of assigning cases. “On April 2, 2022, the court ordered the registrar to fix the procedure for fixing cases, there is no such thing as transparency in fixing cases in the registrar’s office.”

    Ishrat Ali said that cases are set for hearing only with the approval of the Chief Justice of Pakistan. Justice Yahya Afridi then asked that Justice Hasan Rizvi was on ​​the bench, why did the bench change. “What is the procedure for fixing cases?”

    Former President of the Supreme Court Bar, Amanullah Kunrani said that people are tired of asking but our cases are not taken up.

    Justice Faez Isa asked the registrar that why was Justice Yahya Afridi and his bench changed? “Changing the bench without informing raises suspicions in the public mind,” said Isa.

    The Registrar said the Chief Justice’s staff officer verbally instructed that the roster must be changed. Justice Isa said he apologises that he cannot hear his cases today due to the sudden change of bench.

    He also said that a judge’s oath and code of conduct require equal treatment. “Article 10A is included in the fundamental rights, which says that there must be legal reasons for changing the bench.”

    “Arbitrary decision was made by making a bench of will, the dignity of the judiciary will be lower due to lack of transparency. Transparency requires that the case which was entered first should be heard first,” said Justice Isa.

  • Govts spent Rs65m on foreign tours in one year, Rs57m on vehicles

    Govts spent Rs65m on foreign tours in one year, Rs57m on vehicles

    The National Assembly (NA) was informed on Monday that an amount of Rs65.21 million (Rs6,521,1504) was spent on the foreign visits of federal ministers, state ministers, and advisors and special assistants to the PM from January 1, 2022 to December 2022. 

    In response to a question asked by Ghous Bux Mahar of the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), the lower house was informed about the amount spent on the foreign visits.

    According to the report published in The News, “The list presented by the Cabinet Division, Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Abdul Qadir Patel tops the list with expenditure of Rs10.42 million (Rs10,420,163) incurred on his foreign visits, while Rs3.78 million was spent on Minister for Board of Investment Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Rs4.91 million (Rs49,14,459) on the foreign visits of Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman, Rs1.84 million (Rs1,846,632) on the foreign visits of Minister for Communication Maulana Asad Mehmood, Rs5.89 million (Rs5,893. 142) on the foreign visits of Commerce Minister Syed Naveed Qamar, Rs9.35 lakh on the foreign visits of ex-minister for defense production Zubaida Jalal, Rs2.5 million (Rs2,586,321) on the foreign visits of Minister for Defense Production Israr Tareen, Rs3.167 million (Rs3,167,951) on the foreign visits of Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Rs2.60 million (Rs2,604,456) on the foreign visits of Khurram Dastgir, Rs3.5 million (Rs3,500,222) on the foreign visits of Minister of State for Energy (Petroleum Division) Dr Musadik Malik, Rs1.5 million (Rs1,529,964) on the foreign visits of ex-minister for economic affairs Omar Ayub Khan, Rs9.12 lakh on the foreign visits of ex-minister for federal education and professional training Shafqat Mehmood, Rs178,401 on the foreign visits of federal minister for federal education and professional training Rana Tanveer Hussain, Rs912,239 on the foreign visits of ex-finance minister senator Shaukat Tarin, Rs4.59 million (Rs4,569, 160) on the foreign visits of ex-finance minister Miftah Ismael, Rs2.45 million (Rs2,451,289) on the foreign visits of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Rs4.096 million (Rs4,096, 290) on the foreign visits of Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Aisha Ghaus, Rs1.54 million (Rs1,541.475) on the foreign visits of Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Ehsan-ur-Rehman Mazari, Rs619,157 on the foreign visits of Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Rs1.8 million (Rs1.849,433) on the foreign visits of Minister for Information Technology Syed Aminul Haq, Rs818,646 on the foreign visits of Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar, Rs805,954 on the foreign visits of Minister for Maritimes Affairs Senator Faisal Sabzwari, Rs3.117 million (Rs3,117,488) on the foreign visits of Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Sajid Hussain Turi, Rs1.58 million (Rs1,587,652) on the foreign visits of Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Justice Shazia Marri and Rs791,256 on the foreign visits of Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Mufti Abdul Shakoor.”

    “Similarly, Rs39,850 was spent on the visits of ex-advisor to the PM on national security Moeed Yousaf to Kabul and Rs19,296 on China visit. Ex-Advisor to the PM on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood spent Rs466.285 and Rs481,854 on visits to Dubai.”

    “An amount of Rs328,332 was spent on the foreign visits of ex-SAPM on social protection and poverty alleviation Dr Sania Nishtar to Dubai, Rs195,309 on the foreign visit of ex-SAPM on climate change Malik Amin Aslam to Saudi Arabia, Rs457,383 on the foreign visit of ex-SAPM on tourism coordination Azam Jamil to Dubai and Rs1,437,139 on the visit of SAPM on poverty alleviation Faisal Karim Kundi to Egypt and Rs1,333,960 on visit to Istanbul.”

    “It was informed that Rs57.36 million (Rs573,260,000) had been spent on the purchase of eight new vehicles for the protocol squad of foreign guests.”

    “In a written reply to a question by Sikandar Ali Rahoupoto, the National Assembly was informed that the vehicles include one 29 seater Toyota VIP Coaster (Model 2022) costing Rs17,154,000, 14 seater Toyota high roof van (Model 2022) costing Rs10,772,000 and six 1800cc Toyota Corolla Cars (Model 2022) coting Rs29,400,000.”

  • Justice first, then elections; Maryam Nawaz wants ‘balanced scale’ before polls

    Justice first, then elections; Maryam Nawaz wants ‘balanced scale’ before polls

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Monday once again criticised the judiciary, stating that there justice has to be delivered first, and then elections will be held.

    Addressing a workers’ convention in Sahiwal, Maryam Nawaz demanded redressal of “injustice” against the party’s supremo, Nawaz Sharif. She said that first the accusations of “Sicilian mafia” and “Godfather” will have to be withdrawn and then elections will be held.

     “The scales of justice must be balanced,” she said, before unleashing a furious verbal attack on former Chief Justices Saqib Nisar and Asif Saeed Khosa. She emphasised that polls would be conducted in the country when the vote is given respect.

    Talking about Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, Maryam said, “Elections will be held after Imran Khan will be measured on the same standards of justice set for Nawaz Sharif.”

    The PML-N senior vice president said Khan has been kept around to damage Pakistan, adding that he must be brought to justice.

    Maryam claimed Khan was running away from courts, making excuses about his plastered leg every time he was summoned.

    Khan is still being saved by the “remnants” of former spy chief Lieutenant General (retired) Faiz Hameed in the judiciary, she alleged.

    She then sought answers from the judges on the “Panama bench”, pointing the finger for its creation at ISI chief Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed.

    “Why was Pakistan’s development put at stake?” she asked.

    She also blamed the “Panama bench” and its creators for inflation, and the country’s dependence on the IMF. She remarked that former prime minister Imran Khan’s alleged facilitators knew he was incompetent, incapable and damaging for the country. “They imposed him and destroyed Pakistan in Nawaz Sharif’s hatred,” she told the crowd.

  • Gen Amjad Shoaib in police custody for ‘inciting hatred against institutions’

    Gen Amjad Shoaib in police custody for ‘inciting hatred against institutions’

    Lieutenant General (retd) Amjad Shoaib was arrested by Islamabad police in the federal capital on Monday morning.

    A first information report (FIR) was registered against Gen Shoaib on February 25 at Islamabad’s Ramna Police Station.

    The FIR was registered under Sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups, etc) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

    According to the FIR, filed on the complaint of Islamabad Magistrate Owais Khan, the former army officer incited people to revolt against institutions and attempted to provoke disharmony and anarchy and create a law and order situation in the country through controversial statements he made on a TV show.

    In the complaint, Magistrate Khan said that the retired general — in an interview on BOL TV’s show ‘Imran Khan Bol Kay Saath’ aired on Saturday — passed statements that “incited government officials and Opposition from performing their government and legal duties”.

    During today’s hearing, the prosecution informed the court about the case registered against the former three-star general and requested a seven-day physical remand.

    The prosecutor then read out the text of the complaint filed against the retired general.

    “Lt-Gen (R) Shoaib was present as a guest on a private television [channel]. Hatred was spread against the government through his statement. Through his statement, an attempt was made to create hatred between the government, opposition and government officials,” he read the complaint.

    The prosecutor said, “The relations between the Opposition and the government are not well; they were incited through the statement.

    “The Opposition is being incited to employ a stricter strategy against the government. Through Lt-Gen (R) Shoaib’s statement, hatred is being spread between three factions,” he added.

    “As per the sections imposed on Lt-Gen (R) Shoaib, a sentence of five years can be given,” prosecutor Adnan said.

    He said a photogrammetric and a voice matching were required, adding that the former will be done in Lahore.

    At this point during the hearing, Lt-Gen (R) Shoaib’s counsel Abbasi opposed the grant of the physical remand and requested that his client be discharged from the case.

    Advocate Abbasi said, “The court has to see whether Lt-Gen (R) Shoaib even committed a crime or not. If the magistrate thinks the suspect has not committed any offence, then [Lt-Gen (R) Shoaib] can be discharged from the case.”

    Advocate Abbasi said, “Lt-Gen (R) Shoaib is almost 80 years old and is being harassed since a long time. He was sent behind bars within an hour of filing the case.”

    Imam, another member of Lt-Gen (R) Shoaib’s defence team, said his client had acknowledged giving the said statements on the TV channel. “If he has admitted his statement and presence [on the TV show], then why does a photogrammetric and voice matching test need to be done?” he asked.

    Upon this, the prosecutor said, “The evidence of voice matching and a photogrammetric test is necessary for the trial.”

    At one point, the retired general’s counsel said “the arrests of [only] two institutions’ officials had been pending,” adding that “the next arrest could perhaps be of a member of the judiciary.”

    Following the conclusion of the arguments from both sides, the court reserved its verdict.

  • Nisar asks why Nawaz’s religious objections to Benazir’s leadership don’t apply to Maryam

    Nisar asks why Nawaz’s religious objections to Benazir’s leadership don’t apply to Maryam

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party member and former Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan in a public meeting, raised the past to question Maryam Nawaz’s leadership, citing his and Nawaz Sharif’s speeches against the late Benazir Bhutto.

    Recalling the time the party was part of Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI), the estranged PML-N leader said that he and Nawaz Sharif gave speeches against former Prime Minister and archrival Benazir Bhutto, saying that a woman cannot be a leader or a ruler in an Islamic society.

    Admitting that he too used to say the same things in speeches, Nisar said, “A woman cannot give the azaan, a woman cannot lead prayer congregations, a woman cannot speak in a loud voice so as not to be heard by a non-mahram and she cannot perform Umrah or Hajj without a man.”

    Further questioning the present day scenario where Nawaz Sharif’s daughter is now the Senior Vice-president of the party, Nisar asked that if all that was said in the speeches was pertinent for Benazir Bhutto, then why aren’t the same objections applicable on Maryam Nawaz.

    Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, bitter political rivals in the late 1980s and 1990s, ended their animosity to join hands to bring down General Pervez Musharraf’s government by signing the Charter of Democracy in May, 2006.

  • Who was the bureaucrat who collected Rs72 crore salami on his daughter’s wedding? Rauf Klasra has an idea

    Who was the bureaucrat who collected Rs72 crore salami on his daughter’s wedding? Rauf Klasra has an idea

    Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Friday revealed that former Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi told that him that a bureaucrat had collected Rs72 crores as salami [gift money] on his daughter’s wedding.

    Without revealing the name, Khawaja said, “Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi told me himself that he went to a bureaucrat’s daughter’s wedding where a man of his [Elahi’s] constituency was collecting salami. Elahi asked him how much salami had been collected so far. The person told Elahi that around Rs72 crore had been collected while more salami was pouring in.”

    “The same bureaucrat on his elder daughter’s wedding collected Rs1billion 20 crores,” narrated Khawaja. However, he did not reveal the name of the bureaucrat.

    Journalist Rauf Klasra has now revealed the name of the bureaucrat on his Vlog.

    “Tahir Khurshid aka TK, Principal Secretary to former Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, was the one whom Pervaiz Elahi was talking about. He had collected Rs72 crore as salami on his daughter’s wedding.”

    “One should ask Imran Khan and Usman Buzdar who was TK?” said Klasra.

  • PPP, PML-N, JUI-F request SC to constitute full bench minus judges Ijaz ul Ahsan, Mazhar Naqvi

    PPP, PML-N, JUI-F request SC to constitute full bench minus judges Ijaz ul Ahsan, Mazhar Naqvi

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Jamat-e-Ulema Islami-Fazl (JUI-F) on Saturday requested the Supreme Court (SC) to constitute a full bench to hear the suo moto proceedings of election date for Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

    However, as per their request, the three parties have asked that Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan & Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi are excluded from the full bench.

    PDM asks Justice Ahsan, Justice Naqvi to recuse themselves from SC bench

    Earlier, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) coalition government has on Friday asked Supreme Court’s Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi to “recuse themselves” from a larger bench that is hearing suo motu

    The request was presented in a joint statement by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Jamat-e-Ulema Islami-Fazl (JUI-F), read by lawyer Farooq H Naek, on behalf of the three parties when the nine-member bench resumed the hearing of the suo motu notice today. 

    “All three political parties respectfully request that the two-member bench’s order of suo motu notice is available. Hence, both judges should not sit on the bench in the context of the provision of justice and fair trial,” Naek told the court.

    The PDM lawyer requested Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan and Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi to recuse themselves from the nine-member bench currently hearing the suo motu notice.

    Naek replied that he did not want to go into the details, adding that he also believed that the case should be heard by a full-court bench.

    At that, CJP Bandial said that the court will first discuss the admissibility of the request.

    Supreme Court raises questions on dissolution of Punjab and KP assemblies

    Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah of the Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday raised questions on the dissolution of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies.

    Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial said that the SC will not tolerate the violation of the Constitution as the top court began its suo motu hearing to determine who has the constitutional responsibility to announce the date for elections of a provincial assembly.

    At the outset of the hearing, the court observed that the authority for giving the date of the elections after the dissolution of the assembly needs clarification.

    It stated that the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assemblies were dissolved on January 14 and 17, respectively, and the elections have to be held in 90 days after the assembly dissolution under Article 224/2.

    The SC remarked that Punjab Governor Baligh ur Rehman says that he has not dissolved the provincial assembly on the chief minister’s advice.

    “It will be determined through the suo motu case that who has the authority to give the election date,” the court remarked.

    It said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had also complained about not getting the funds for polling day.

    The Chief Justice observed that elaboration was needed on the issue of elections and assured all the parties that the court would listen to their arguments.

    “We have suspended our schedule for the next week so that we can hear this case,” CJP Bandial said.

    CJP Bandial said that the court will restrict itself to essential things, adding that the detailed hearing of the case will be held on Monday.

    CJP Bandial initiates suo motu action, constitutes nine-judge bench on Punjab, KP polls today

    A nine-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial will hear the suo motu notice of an apparent delay in the elections of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) assemblies today (Thursday).

    CJP Bandial on Wednesday evening initiated a suo motu proceeding to determine who has the constitutional responsibility and authority to announce the date for elections for a provincial assembly.

    The bench, headed by CJP Bandial, will consist of Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Athar Minallah. The case will be taken up on Thursday (today) at 2pm.

    According to the apex court’s statement, the bench will assess who is eligible to issue the date for polls, the constitutional responsibility of the federation and provinces and who will fulfil the constitutional responsibility of conducting elections and when.

    “It is the government’s responsibility to conduct elections in Punjab and KP according to the Constitution,” the top court’s statement read.

    The Supreme Court added that the two provincial assemblies were dissolved on January 14 and 18, respectively. 

    “Under Article 224 (2), polls should be held within 90 days of the assembly dissolution. The Constitution mandates that polls be held within 90 days.”

    The Supreme Court had taken suo motu notice on Wednesday two days after President Dr Arif Alvi fixed April 9 as polling day for the provincial assemblies.

     

  • ‘Now watch the spoilt brat checkmate you’: Maryam trades barbs on Twitter with ‘King of Conspiracies’ Khan

    ‘Now watch the spoilt brat checkmate you’: Maryam trades barbs on Twitter with ‘King of Conspiracies’ Khan

    Senior Vice President Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Maryam Nawaz hit back at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Twitter after he called her a spoilt brat in a tweet.

    “Shameless & calculated attacks on SC judges by PDM & spoilt brat Maryam, nurtured on corruption money, have one purpose only – to run away from elections even by violating Constitution,” tweeted Imran Khan in the afternoon.

    “By attacking SCP, they are damaging the Federation & ensuring law of jungle prevails in Pak,” he wrote.

    Responding to Khan’s accusations, Maryam tweeted, “Oh, how the mighty have fallen! Your squeals are not amiss as you have been the king of conspiracies,thriving & surviving on them with the help of your Godfather Faiz & his vestiges.”

    “Now watch the ‘spoilt brat’ checkmate you so Godsons & pawns like you are relegated to irrelevance,” tweeted Maryam.

    On Thursday, February 23, Maryam Nawaz Sharif showed pictures of the “cabal of five” she blames for conspiring against her father Nawaz Sharif. Among the photos were two pictures of serving judges of the Supreme Court- Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Mazahir Naqvi. The next day, PML-N leader and federal minister Khwaja Asif criticized the judiciary during a speech on the floor of the National Assembly.

  • Election date suo moto: Things you can’t miss in today’s Supreme Court hearing

    At the outset of Friday’s hearing, the Attorney-General told the court that the copy of the court order had not been received which is why all parties did not appear today.

    At this, CJP Bandial remarked that the purpose of today’s hearing was to inform the relevant authorities about the suo motu notice.

    The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) coalition government asked Supreme Court’s Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi to “recuse themselves” from the larger bench that is hearing suo motu proceedings regarding the delay in the announcement of a date for elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

    The request was presented in a joint statement by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Jamat-e-Ulema Islami-Fazl (JUI-F), read by lawyer Farooq H Naek, on behalf of the three parties when the nine-member bench resumed the hearing of the suo motu notice today. 

    At this point, Naek appeared before the bench and read out a joint statement of the PPP, JUI-F and PML-N regarding their objections over the bench.

    The lawyer said that both judges had made their observations on the matter when they heard Ghulam Mahmood Dogar’s plea against his removal as the Lahore police chief.

    The counsel also shared the dissenting note of Justice Mandokhail.

    Naek stated that they were objecting to the two judges’ inclusion in the “interest of justice, fair play and to protect the fundamental right to a fair trial and due process as guaranteed under Article 10A”.

    At this, Justice Minallah asked the lawyer if he felt there was a need to form a full court for the case.

    “[The] matter of elections is of public [importance] so there should be [a] full court on this,” responded Naek and formally appealed for a full court to hear the suo motu notice on the delay in elections.

    Meanwhile, the counsel for Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rasheed said that the judiciary is being ridiculed on social media since yesterday and urged the court to look into this matter.

    At this, CJP Bandial said that this matter will be looked into later. “Prepare for the case,” the CJP told the attorney general.

    However, Naek interjected that the matter pertaining to the bench formation and the objections surrounding it should be resolved first.

    “The decision was made on February 16 and the notice was taken on February 22,” said the CJP, adding that taking suo motu notice falls under the chief justice’s jurisdiction. He said that the petitions by Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly speakers are clubbed with the suo motu.

    The court is also looking into the questions raised in the petitions filed by the speakers, he added.

    Justice Mandokhail said that political matters should be resolved in Parliament. “Tell your political parties why should the court hear these cases?” he added.

    Referring to a PML-N rally held on Friday, he said that “derogatory remarks” were hurled at the judiciary in that public gathering.

    Justice Mandokhail said that political matters must be settled in the Parliament. “Go to your parties … why should the court hear this matter?”

    At that, Naek said that he would seek direction from his party on the matter. He also requested the court to first hear the government’s objection on the bench.

    Justice Bandial said that in normal circumstances, citizens knocked on the door of the court. “But today, the Constitution of Pakistan has knocked on our doorstep.”

    Subsequently, the court observed that it will decide on Monday whether to form a full-court bench to hear the case.

    “The court will also hear the objection raised against the two judges on Monday,” CJP Bandial remarked.

    “Today the Constitution knocked on our doors which is why we took the suo motu notice,” remarked the CJP as he adjourned the hearing till 11:30am on Monday.