Unrest in the Senate as a result of CJP’s comments.
Senators from the PML-N argue that only parliament can represent the people, while the PTI maintains that the legislature is actually insufficient.
ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial’s comments regarding parliament at a hearing on Thursday sparked a contentious argument between members of the Treasury and the opposition in the Senate on Friday.
The top justice’s comments, according to parliamentarians from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), were made in response to an appeal against changes to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) rules that had nothing to do with the elections.
On the other side, the senators of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) publicly agreed with CJ Bandial’s findings, claiming that the parliament was in fact “incomplete” because the biggest political party in the nation had been purposefully excluded.
On Thursday, CJ Bandial presided over a three-member bench hearing an appeal against changes to the NAB statute. He noted that only the people’s will could solve the nation’s problems.
The CJP stated, “The current parliament has been deliberately kept unfinished,” and added that as a result, the legislation being debated in this “parliament” is likewise becoming divisive.
He claimed that the current parliament was purposefully kept unfinished.
The federal government’s attorney argued throughout the hearing that the court shouldn’t rule the nation. The chief judge retorted that although the court did not seek to govern the nation, the people would find it challenging to live in a political vacuum.
The Senate session, presided over by Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, mirrored the chief justice’s comments. Irfan Siddiqui, a senator for the PML-N, brought up the matter in the house. He asserted that the parliament, not the courts or the armed forces, was the voice of Pakistan’s citizens.
According to Siddiqui, the chief justice made comments that had nothing to do with either the elections or the legislature. He further stated that only one prime minister, most likely Muhammad Khan Junejo, was described as honest by the top justice.
Siddiqui questioned, “Who gave him the right to brand everyone dishonest, from Liaquat Ali Khan to Imran Khan. Has a single judge ever been identified by lawmakers as the lone judge who is honest?, he continued. Let’s be clear: We respect the legal system.
He emphasised that parliamentarians passed the law after careful consideration and that parliament served as the people’s representation. “How did the chief justice claim that controversy arose in parliament? Don’t beat the legislature every day with the whip, the senator continued.
the opposition’s leader The PTI’s Shehzad Waseem agreed with the chief justice’s assertion that the largest party had been excluded. He declared, “Parliament is severely lacking.” He emphasised, however, that criticism should not be interpreted as contempt.
Waseem instructed the house, “If the Chief Justice pointed out something, it should be considered as criticism, and not disdain.” He threatened, “Close the Constitution’s book and open the gates of public unrest if elections are not held in 90 days.”
Shibli Faraz, a senator for the PTI, was more scathing of Siddiqui’s comments. The PML-N senator, according to him, “claims that the Supreme Court is giving us instructions, but they [the ruling coalition] should be ashamed that you exploited this house to modify the NAB legislation,” the senator stated. “You are attempting to defend the leadership’s corruption.”
The “Century of Ministers”
Senator Mushtaq Ahmed had earlier called out the ministers for not showing up to the meeting. “It seems that very soon the century of the ministers will be completed,” he stated, referring to the addition of five more ministers to the cabinet. The prime minister would have to choose a different minister to be in charge of counting these ministers, he continued.
Asif Kirmani of the PML-N criticised his colleagues in the Treasury for the lack of gasoline on the market. “The Petrol Mafia is contesting the court order of the government. I would inquire if the petrol mafia is out of control from the petroleum minister if he were present at this time.
In the meantime, the Capital Development Authority Amendment Bill 2022 was approved by the entire parliament. Shahadat Awan, a minister of state, proposed the bill. The meeting was later adjourned until February 13.
