'No Signs Of Truce Among Judges'

There is no reality in the media reports regarding Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial's sincere efforts in resolving the division among judges and steps being taken to re-establish the unity of judges, claims journalist Asad Ali Toor on Monday.

In a recent vlog on his YouTube channel, Toor said that few journalists who are so close to CJP Bandial are circulating news tickers and press releases affirming that the CJP is committed to addressing the issue of conflict among judges and stressing that the CJP has included those judges as well in the benches who wrote dissenting notes. He said that news is being circulated that meetings have been held and things have been settled, but there is no reality to these reports, adding that this is just an ‘eye wash’.

Toor said that no judge has ever said that Umar Ata Bandial is not a chief justice, adding that they have just raised questions over the conduct of the CJP and challenged his ‘one man show’.

He said that the only solution to resolve the conflict among judges is the formation of a full-court bench. He said that CJP Bandial has formed benches in such a manner that he has adjusted judges from his lobby with the judges who are disapproving of his moves.

He said that the senior-most judge, Justice Qazi Faez Esa, is part of a two-member bench. Similarly, another senior judge, Tariq Masood, is part of the two-member bench. whereas the judges who are on the 4^th and 5^th rung in terms of seniority, Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan and Justice Muneeb Akhtar, are part of three-member benches.

The journalist said that Justice Qazi Faez Esa and Justice Mazahir Naqvi are together on a two-member bench. He added that Justice Naqvi has been attached to the bench so that Justice Esa may not give any big judgments. "If Justice Esa tries to give any big judgment, Justice Naqvi will not agree with it as it would be against his lobby, and hence the order will not be passed," he added.

Similarly, Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah are members of two separate, two-member benches, he added.

Asad Ali Toor claimed that if CJP Bandial had intentions to resolve the conflict, he would have formed three-member benches, but constituting two-member benches is just a move to give the impression that there is no division among judges.