Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Atta Bandial has remarked that constitution is sacred and the court is the protector of the constitution expressing hope that the leadership of the country will respect the court decisions.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Bandial delivered these remarks while hearing the presidential reference seeking interpretation of Article 63-A on Monday. A five-judge bench of the Supreme Court headed by the chief justice of Pakistan heard the case.
The top judge’s remarks clearly betrayed the court’s uneasiness over its recent verdict on National Assembly Deputy Speaker’s ruling which declared no-confidence vote block illegal and set the path for the removal of previous government. The judgement was severely hammered by one political party on social media and public gatherings as well.
While hearing the presidential reference, Chief Justice Bandial remarked that the court was protector of the constitution as ‘constitution is sacred’.
He expressed his hope that the country’s leadership would respect court’s decisions. He regretted “Our names are called when we protect the constitution”. He, however, vowed that court would go on performing their constitutional responsibilities and would defend constitution.
Taking a jibe at the speeches in political gatherings, the CJP remarked that 10,000 to 15,000 people gathered at a place and started criticizing court decisions. Why should we have to make decisions, the CJP wondered but prodded the leadership on the matter saying they should respect the court decisions.
“National leaders should defend the court decisions,” CJP Bandial said. He said judges had to bear slights for protecting constitution. Addressing the attorney, he said ‘court sees no reason to get entangled in your political issues’.
At the outset of the hearing, Additional Attorney General Amir Rehman pleaded with the court to wait for the appointment of new attorney general. But the CJP said that since the arguments of the former AGP Khalid Jawed Khan had been completed, so in his opinion the proceedings on the case could be carried on. =DNA
