–Opp members pass resolution in Senate condemning govt’s action against judiciary
–Bilawal says govt wants a selected judiciary and opposition which is condemnable
–PML-N’s Abbasi says govt carrying out targetted killing of judiciary, demands withdrawal of references
–Akhtar Mengal says current democratic setup in Pakistan becoming eerily similar to past dictatorial regimes
ISLAMABAD: Opposition members in the National Assembly and Senate on Friday condemned the government’s decision to file references against judges of the superior courts before the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), and expressed full support to the judiciary.
The opposition members also tabled resolutions in both houses of parliament in this regard. While the resolution in the Senate, which was moved by Leader of the Opposition Raja Zafarul Haq, was passed by the House where the opposition members are in majority, the one moved in the National Assembly failed to make it through due to the government’s opposition.
The resolution passed in the Senate read that “while supporting across-the-board accountability, the Senate feels that these targeted references are mala fide and politically motivated. They are a direct attack on the independence of judiciary and are aimed at stifling the voices of reason, truth and justice in the highest judiciary.”
The resolution further read that “the Senate expresses its full solidarity with the judiciary, lawyers elected representation and Bar Councils of the country and we are with them in this struggle.”
A day earlier, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government decided to file references in the SJC against Supreme Court Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Sindh High Court (SHC) Justice Karim Khan Agha for allegedly concealing their assets and recommended action against them under Article 209 of the Constitution.
Informed sources said the references, filed after approval by President Dr Arif Alvi, alleged that Justice Isa had acquired three properties in London on lease in the name of his wife and children between 2011 and 2015, but these were not disclosed in wealth returns.
Likewise, Justice K.K. Agha was accused of purchasing two properties in London, but not disclosing them in wealth returns.
The references was reportedly prepared by the Law Ministry with help from a former PCO judge.
The resolution tabled in the NA stated: “This House expresses grave concern over the filing of references in the Supreme Judicial Council by the government against some honourable judges of the Supreme and High Courts in a secretive manner without even the knowledge of the concerned judges”.
The resolution also said that the “House expresses solidarity with the honourable judges under siege, lawyers elected representation and bars council of the country” while adding that “this House calls upon the government to withdraw the references against the honourable judges”.
Following a chaotic session of the National Assembly, the joint opposition members addressed reporters outside Parliament House wherein they condemned the government’s action against the judges.
Addressing reporters, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said “they [government] filed references against the judges and they [judges] were kept in the dark. These references were filed in secret, hence show the government’s intent”.
Bilawal observed that the incumbent government is on the same path as Musharraf and has an authoritative attitude towards the judiciary. He further said that the government wants a selected judiciary and opposition which is condemnable.
Speaking to reporters, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President Shahid Khaqan Abbasi urged the government to withdraw the references.
He said that the “lawyers bodies are against the decision [to file references]” while adding that the Senate has adopted a resolution condemning the attack.
“We [opposition] have filed one [resolution] in the National Assembly as well”, he said.
The former premier lamented the decision to “dismantle the institution of the judiciary” and urged the government “to take them back”.
Abbasi said that the country’s supreme judiciary was being attacked and a “targeted killing” [of the judiciary] was taking place.
The former premier said that the opposition had tried to pass a resolution during the assembly session. The government, however, had “purposely” avoided doing so, he alleged.
The PML-N leader said that it had come to the point where references were being filed against superior court judges, and the judge of the Supreme Court had to inquire about the said references by writing to the president.
Abbasi was followed by Sardar Akhtar Mengal, who said the current democratic setup in Pakistan was becoming eerily similar to past dictatorial regimes. “Today, Pakistan is a democracy in name only. The current situation and actions of the PTI government strongly resemble those we have witnessed during dictatorships.”
“The judges being targeted today are those who challenged Pakistan’s untouchable powers. In such times, it is essential that we do everything in our power to ensure that the sacrifices rendered for democracy by the people of Pakistan are not allowed to go to waste,” said Mengal.
