No more last chances
Now that the Supreme Court has extended the timeline for appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner till Dec8 – despite the attorney general’s request for Dec5 – this time the court’s deadline must not pass without necessary action. Dec5 would have been rather awkward for the prime minister anyway. The Afghan conference in England ties him till Dec4 at least, and now he will have some time to enjoy his London real estate investments should he so choose. But with the SC now threatening action against Nawaz Sharif and Khurshid Shah, the former might be eager to return as soon as he can.
Also, in the interest of clarity, it is best if controversy is avoided. Talk of sticking with former CJ Jillani, despite some parties’ reservations and his own refusal earlier, can set a dangerous precedent since it has connotations that exceed politics. The Supreme Court Bar Association and Pakistan Bar Council have cautioned against it because there can be instances where the CEC might have to appear in the SC where he was once CJ, which can create problems. There is also the danger of such practices becoming routine, and judges beginning to eye political favours, which could affect the court’s impartiality.
Nobody, especially the prime minister and leader of the opposition, need reminding that the matter has gone unresolved for far too long. The SC, too, will have to take stern action if practices of the past are repeated. That Nawaz has tasked Ishaq Dar to liaise with Khurshid Shah will not cut it, especially since the prime minister himself has been unable to break the ice despite numerous SC deadlines. It is time that the matter is resolved amicably. They must be careful that the nominee does not come with political baggage, and that they are able to address reservations of other political parties. Hopefully, they will not disappoint this time.
