Enforcing Faizabad sit-in verdict could have prevent Jaranwala: CJP

Mon, October 02, 2023

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa on Thursday remarked that if the Faizabad sit-in verdict had been enforced, it could have prevented the Jaranwala incident. The Supreme Court adjourned the hearing on a series of petitions challenging the judgment until November 1.

A three-member bench led by the chief justice, alongside Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Athar Minallah, presided over the pleas challenging the top court's judgment in the Faizabad sit-in case, which directed intelligence agencies not to exceed their constitutional mandates.

At the beginning of the hearing, the Ministry of Defence, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) submitted applications to withdraw their pleas. Similar applications had previously been filed by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra).

Chief Justice Isa expressed his curiosity about the withdrawal of the review petitions, suggesting that there might have been an order to file them. He emphasized the importance of accountability for the future of Pakistan and questioned why there seemed to be hesitation in telling the truth about filing review petitions. He also suggested that the petitioners should bear the cost of filing frivolous review petitions.

The chief justice raised significant questions regarding the case, pondering whether all institutions were now directly controlled, why these review petitions had not been addressed over the past four years, and whether powerful forces were influencing case scheduling. He emphasized the accountability of everyone, including the court, to the people.

Additionally, Chief Justice Isa inquired about accountability for the killings that occurred in Karachi on May 12, 2007, during the hearing. Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Awan assured the court that the Faizabad sit-in judgment would be implemented.

Ultimately, the bench adjourned the proceedings until November 1.

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