ISLAMABAD: The government has no intention of withdrawing its notification of March 16, 2009, Attorney General of Pakistan Maulvi Anwarul Haq told the Supreme Court on Monday.
Appearing before a 17-member larger bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry which was hearing a suo motu case pertaining to media reports alleging the government of contemplating the withdrawal of the March 16, 2009 notification reinstating the superior judiciary, the AG informed the court that a committee formed to ascertain the facts behind the news had summoned the concerned reporters on October 22.
During the hearing, Justice Javed Iqbal said that he was watching a TV show on Sunday night in which the anchor had claimed that the withdrawal of the judges’ restoration notification had been signed as well. The court also took notice of the word standoff, mentioned in the interim report submitted by the committee and held that the government should take care while using such words.
“The judiciary has not waged any war,” Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday said. He said PML-Q leader Faisal Saleh Hayat had moved the SC against the Rental Power Plants scandal because the parliament had disappointed him. Similarly, he said Opposition leader Nisar Ali Khan had also moved the SC against the appointment of the NAB Chairman. “Did we ask Chaudhry Nisar to file a petition in the apex court,” Justice Ramday asked.
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