ISLAMABAD
To go to the National Assembly or not is a political decision of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). This was an observation of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial on Wednesday during the hearing of Imran Khan’s petition against the NAB amendments in the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
A three-member special bench headed by the CJP is hearing the petition of Imran Khan against the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) amendments in the SC. During the Wednesday hearing, PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s lawyer Khawaja Haris completed his argument in favor of the petition against the NAB amendments.
Khawaja Haris said in his argument that questions were asked regarding the accountability of army officers and the exclusion of PTI from the Parliament yesterday, adding that the NAB law comes into force after the retirement of army officers.
On this, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said this means that if an army officer commits corruption, then his retirement should be waited for forty years. The other judge of the bench Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan said there are rules and laws for the accountability of the Pak forces.
He also said that probably, for the reason of national security, army officers were kept apart from NAB law. Imran Khan’s lawyer Khawaja Haris said political questions cannot be answered legally. On it, the CJP said to go to the assembly or not is a political decision of the PTI and the court should not have commented on the political issue.
The CJP said “Amr bil Ma’ruf wa Nahy an al Munkar” is the basic principle of Islam, and wrong can be called wrong only when it is there. The CJP said institutions have to be activated and the Parliament is a basic institution of the country.
CJP Justice Bandial also raised the question that if the major political party is out of the assembly, how will it be active? Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said the assembly can be left only if the member is physically unable to attend. He added that the members of the assembly should raise their voices in the House.
In the hearing, Justice Ejaz-ul-Ahsan asked that was there a debate on the NAB amendments in the Senate. Justice Ejaz-ul-Ahsan also said if there is no debate on the law in the House, what is the solution other than resignation?
Replying to it, Khawaja Haris said NAB amendments were also approved by the Senate without discussion. After the completion of the arguments of the petitioner’s lawyer, the hearing of the case has been adjourned till the second week of January. At the next hearing, Federal Government’s lawyer Makhdoom Ali Khan will start arguments.
