LI Network
Published on: 16 May 2023 at 13:25 IST
On Monday, the National Assembly of Pakistan passed a resolution to establish a committee with the purpose of filing a reference against Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Umar Ata Bandial.
The motion was presented during the session after the regular business of the house was suspended. Earlier that day, Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, addressed the house and emphasized the need for the parliament to send a strong message in defense of the country’s territory.
He claimed that a certain segment of the judiciary is granting “unprecedented concessions” to Imran Khan, the Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, in corruption cases.
The Leader of the Opposition, Raja Riaz, strongly condemned the recent acts of violence in the country. He denounced the individuals who attacked the Corps Commander House in Lahore, considering them as enemies of the state.
Riaz held the trained elements of the PTI party accountable for these reprehensible acts. He emphasized the importance of expressing unwavering solidarity with the armed forces of Pakistan, as reported by ARY News.
Salahuddin from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan (MQM) expressed his strong disapproval of the recent violent incidents, deeming them unacceptable. He criticized the judiciary for granting what he referred to as “concessions” to Imran Khan, the Chairman of the PTI party, under whose influence public and private properties were vandalized.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) and the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government are experiencing intensified differences that appear to have reached a critical point.
According to recent media reports from The Express Tribune, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umar Ata Bandial, leading a bench, remains steadfast in his stance of conducting provincial elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, despite the government’s disapproval.
This issue has exposed clear divisions among the SCP judges. Some judges are opposed to what they perceive as the CJP Bandial’s arbitrary exercise of the apex court’s “suo moto” powers in this case. These judges have reportedly requested a larger bench to address the ongoing political turmoil in the country, as reported by Arab News.