ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa said that if the court’s verdict on the sit-in by the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) at Faizabad had been implemented, future “serious incidents” could have been averted.
“If this verdict was implemented at that time, then serious incidents would not have taken place later,” the CJP observed while hearing a set of review petitions challenging the apex court’s verdict.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa and including Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Athar Minallah heard the pleas.
The review petitions in the case were filed by the Ministry of Defence, the Intelligence Bureau, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, and Ejaz-ul-Haq.
All of them except Sheikh Rashid Ahmed withdrew their pleas, prompting the chief justice to ask, “Why is everyone so afraid to speak the truth”.
At the outset of the hearing, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s lawyer Barrister Ali Zafar said his client wanted to withdraw the review petition. “I am asking thrice due to Islamic injunctions,” the chief justice asked. The lawyer replied that they did not wish to proceed with the review.
CJP Isa remarked that after objections were raised to the verdict in 2019. He said the court is hearing the review pleas but everyone is seeking withdrawal He said the Faizabad sit-in paralyzed the whole country but no one is ready to proceed with the review.
Attorney General Usman Awan also informed the court that the federal government wished to withdraw its review petition. Upon inquiring if there was a reason, the AGP responded, “There is no specific reason. We only want to withdraw the review petition. The federal government does not want to defend the case.”
The judge observed that the court would keep the PEMRA’s petition pending Sheikh Rasheed’s lawyer said they want to continue to proceed with the review plea. The Supreme Court adjourned the hearing till November 1.
The verdict was authored by Justice Qazi Faez Isa years before he took oath as the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP). The judgement had instructed the defence ministry and the tri-services chiefs to penalize personnel under their command found to have violated their oath.
It also directed the federal government to monitor those advocating hate, extremism, and terrorism and prosecute them in accordance with the law. Adverse observations were also made against several government departments for causing inconvenience to the public during the 20-day sit-in that paralyzed life in both Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
