- CJP urges PTI to engage in judicial appointment process.
- PTI highlights human rights violations and legal concerns.
- Government rejects PTI’s claims, insists on legal process.
ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi has advised Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to remain within the system and avoid boycotts, a PTI source revealed.
According to the source, who was part of the delegation that met the chief justice on Friday, the top judge remarked that PTI should not have boycotted the last meeting of the Supreme Judicial Commission (SJC), which was convened to deliberate on judicial appointments to the Supreme Court.
The delegation was informed that had PTI’s members attended the meeting, some of the appointments might have been different.
When contacted, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan confirmed that the chief justice did indeed advise PTI to stay in the system and avoid boycotting the process of judges’ appointments.
Another PTI leader, who also attended the meeting, on condition of not being named said that the CJP did tell them that had the PTI attended the meeting, they would have made a difference in certain appointments.
He explained that the CJP’s advice for PTI to remain within the system was in connection with the party’s boycott of the last meeting of the Supreme Judicial Commission (SJC).
Earlier, a five-member PTI delegation met the CJP, who shared a 10-point agenda with them concerning the judicial reforms.
Talking to reporters here, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said, “We will give our suggestions to the Chief Justice of Pakistan; we told him that his orders were not being implemented, and we also talked about the registration of FIRs against our leaders and workers,” he explained.
Gohar said the meeting, lasting for over an hour, was held at the chief justice’s desire.
The PTI chairman said his party had been facing fascism for two and a half years, whereas the party founder Imran Khan was being denied access to doctor and was being kept in isolation.
PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said they discussed the implementation of the Constitution and law with the chief justice and also informed him about the violations of human rights enshrined in the Constitution.
“If the higher judiciary does not look into these issues, then the people will get disappointed. We expressed our concern over the process of approving the 26th Amendment; our delegation informed the chief justice about the worst human rights situation.”
Practically, there’s no constitution and no law in the country, whereas the justice system is being used as a tool, he said.
Leader of the Opposition and PTI senior leader Omar Ayub said Salman Akram Raja spoke to the chief justice about the military courts. He also said the chief justice was given a detailed briefing on the missing persons.
He said the economy as well as Imran’s letters of May 9 and November 26 also came under discussion.
“We made it clear that we do not accept the 26th Amendment and also spoke to the chief justice about the non-implementation of the production order,” he maintained.
“We informed the chief justice about the threats received by the PTI lawyers and put the point of the judges’ letters and the negative role of the intelligence agencies before him,” he said.
Latif Khosa said they asked the chief justice to set their house in order too, as doing it will ensure dispensation of justice to the people.
“We told the chief justice of Pakistan not to pack this court and asked him to review the letters written by the five judges of the High Court”.
Senior lawyer Babar Awan said the meeting comprised three parts: the first point pertained to the unlawful picking of people. The chief justice was told that the privacy of people was being violated.
“We put the point of Imran’s non-transparent trial before him. There was an open trial of seven prime ministers, but the PTI founder was not getting a transparent trial,” he said.
Meanwhile, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Legal Affairs Barrister Aqeel Malik Friday ridiculed the PTI’s press conference following their meeting with the chief justice of Pakistan.
Talking to the reporters here, he alleged that the PTI sought relief from the court beyond the law and Constitution.
He said the 10-point agenda presented to the chief justice by the PTI clearly indicated that the party was seeking the apex court facilitation.
“All the cases against PTI are of criminal nature, and the courts will follow the law in this regard. No relief will be granted beyond the law and the Constitution,” the advisor added.
He further said the cases related to May 9 and November 26 were not of political nature, as the PTI had created anarchy under the guise of protest.
“The PTI holds protests without permission and creates anarchy. No one will be allowed to disturb the lives of citizens,” he emphasized.
He also mentioned that Section 144 was imposed to ensure the safety of citizens, and the law will take its course if anyone violated the law.
Originally published in The News
