Islamabad
\nThe ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on Friday announced staging a \u201cpeaceful\u201d sit-in outside the Supreme Court in Islamabad on May 15 (Monday) against Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial for \u201cfacilitating\u201d and giving \u201cVIP protocol\u201d to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan.
\nIn a hard-hitting press conference, PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman alleged that the country\u2019s Constitution, law and everything have been put at risk for the sake of the PTI chairman.
\nHe made the remarks a day after a top court\u2019s three-member bench headed by CJP Bandial declared Khan\u2019s arrest on the premises of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in the Al-Qadir Trust case as \u201cinvalid and unlawful\u201d. During the course of proceedings, the CJP welcomed the former prime minister \u2014 who was deposed from the office last April via a no-confidence motion \u2014 saying \u201cGood to see you\u201d.
\nThe ruling alliance of 13 political parties, however, largely criticised the CJP for welcoming Khan into the courtroom.
\nDuring the presser, the PDM chief \u2014 who is also head of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) \u2014 said that the top court ordered not to take action against Khan for the incidents after May 9. He added that the judiciary was giving rulings beyond the Constitution.
\nBlasting the apex court, the PDM chief said the leniency was given to three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Fazl said even Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo was not provided a telephone to inquire about the health of her ailing wife \u2014 Kulsoom Nawaz.
\n\u201cWas this kind of leniency given to Maryam Nawaz or Faryal Talpur?\u201d the JUI-F chief asked.
\nBut on the other hand, Khan was being given \u201cVIP protocol\u201d, he added.
\nThe PDM chairman further announced that they have decided to stage a protest against the \u201cbehaviour\u201d of the Supreme Court.
\nReferring to the Supreme Court\u2019s 3-2 verdict on elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the PDM chief said that they were not ready to accept the decision.
\nOn March 1, the apex court ruled, in a 3-2 verdict, that the elections should be held in the two provinces within 90 days.
\nHowever, on April 7, the controversy surrounding the top court\u2019s verdict on Punjab elections took another turn after Justice Athar Minallah, in his detailed order, stated that the case was dismissed by 4 to 3 and clarified that \u201che had not recused nor had any reason to dissociate himself\u201d from the case.
\nThe PDM chief said, \u201cAccording to us, the decision of 4-3 is a unanimous decision.\u201d
\nResponding to a question, the PDM chairman vowed that the sit-in will remain \u201cpeaceful\u201d but warned that if they were manhandled, then they will give a curt reply.
\nThe PDM chief further said that if the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or any other group attack the state, they were declared traitor and the group is banned. Referring to the attacks on the General Headquarters (GHQ) and ransacking of the Lahore Corps Commander\u2019s home, Fazl said that it will be regrettable if action is not taken against the PTI.
\nAll the component parties of the ruling alliance were present in the meeting, while PML-N supremo and Maryam Nawaz attended the huddle via video link, he added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Islamabad The ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on Friday announced staging a \u201cpeaceful\u201d sit-in outside the Supreme Court in Islamabad on May 15 (Monday) against Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial for \u201cfacilitating\u201d and giving \u201cVIP protocol\u201d to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan. In a hard-hitting press conference, PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman alleged that the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":330896,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-330891","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-national"},"yoast_head":"\n