Senior journalist Hasnat Malik reported that the dinner hosted by Chief Justice Bandial was attended by eighteen judges of the apex court. Justice Qazi Faez Isa neither attended the dinner nor informed the host, CJP Bandial, regarding the reason for not being able to join the dinner.
According to sources, the purpose of the dinner was to eliminate conflicts among the Supreme Court judges.
On Monday, former Advocate General of Balochistan Advocate Mir Amanullah Kanrani said that the ‘conspiracy’ is not to bring Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan into power but to grant a three-year extension to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial.
While addressing the legal fraternity, advocate Amanullah said that the conspiracy is to ensure the victory of Imran Khan by two-third and grant ‘tenure post’ to the CJP Bandial, which amounts to an extra three years.
He said that CJP Bandial took the oath as the chief justice in 2022. “If CJP Bandial gets a three-year extension from the assembly, he will retire in 2025,” he added. He said that through this conspiracy, Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s path to becoming chief justice would be blocked, as he is set to retire in 2024. He claimed that even the establishment does not like Justice Isa.
Advocate Imanullah said that as per ‘conspiracy’, Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan will become the chief justice after the retirement of CJP Bandial. After that, Justice Muneeb Akhtar will become the chief justice, he added.
He stressed that the legal fraternity will not let this happen and will sacrifice their lives to foil this ‘conspiracy’. While concluding his speech, he raised the slogan, “Qazi is our chief justice.”
On April 27, Tensions remained high as the “like-minded” bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC), led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umar Ata Bandial, was poised to hear the case on the government’s refusal to kowtow to judicial edict on holding Punjab provincial elections on May 14. The court also heard a petition from the government requesting more time and concluded today’s hearing without any outcome that could have further destabilized the already poisonous political atmosphere, as CJP announced that the court would give no timeline and would issue an appropriate verdict
While it may seem that the ball is now in the court of political forces, both inside parliament and those agitating outside the system, reports are emerging that the “like-minded” clique of SC judges aligned with CJP Bandial may itself be fracturing.
Senior journalist Imran Waseem reported on the proceedings that took place today (April 27) at the Supreme Court, where all major mainstream political parties rushed to seek more time to begin negotiations in order to break the impasse that Pakistan has been stuck in for over a year.
The attorney general for Pakistan impleaded before the apex court to grant the government more time. At this, CJP Bandial remarked that “You have some hours of time today, you can try and sit together, try to negotiate with each other, and resolve matters amicably”. The CJP was hopeful of a positive outcome and adjourned the hearing till 2 pm in the afternoon.
The attorney general requested for time till 4 pm, which the court granted. Thereafter, the hearing did not continue in open court, but in the CJP’s chambers, according to Imran Waseem.
He reports that in chambers, only CJP Bandial and Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan were present, and Justice Munib Akhtar was not there. The public reason behind this was Justice Akhtar having a prior commitment in Karachi for which he had a “confirmed plane ticket”, but sources told Imran Waseem that a division is now simmering within the 3-member SC bench of “like-minded judges“. This represents a further fracturing of the institutional credibility and functional legitimacy of Pakistan’s apex court, as divisions and groupings within the SC have been reported for months now.
According to Imran Waseem, Justice Munib Akhtar could not be convinced to delay his trip to Karachi and hear this “important national matter” in open court. Insiders say that Justice Munib Akhtar already conveyed his position to CJP Bandial that the SC had issued a verdict on the election date which, according to his (Justice Akhtar’s) legal acumen and understanding of jurisprudence, was final and must be implemented. Sources privy to these extremely sensitive discussions purported that Justice Munib Akhtar saw no point in even entertaining petitions from political parties asking for time to negotiate.
Justice Munib Akhtar was of the view that the SC judgment ordering Punjab elections on May 14 was constitutional and lawful. Justice Akhtar not only wants CJP Bandial to ensure that the judgment is implemented but is urging the CJP to invoke the SC’s power under Article 190 of the Constitution to “ensure compliance” by the federal government.
Senior journalist Imran Waseem recalls that on April 19, Justice Munib Akhtar gave some harsh remarks in open court, stating that the National Assembly failed to pass a bill authorizing an additional expenditure of Rs 21 billion for the Punjab elections, which implied that Premier Shehbaz Sharif had lost the confidence of the house. According to analysts, the SC order of that day also appeared to have been authored by Justice Munib Akhtar, who questioned whether Shehbaz Sharif could continue as prime minister or not.
In response to that, PM Shehbaz received 180 votes from the National Assembly in a surprise vote of confidence today. Moreover, the National Assembly resolved to turn down the third and ‘final’ order from the Supreme Court to authorize funding for the elections they ordered in a controversial judgment.