ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court will resume hearing of the set of review petitions against its verdict on Faizabad dharna (sit-in) from Monday (May 6).
In light of the Supreme Court judgment, the federal government on November 15, last year, had constituted a three-member inquiry commission under Inquiry Commission Act 1956 to investigate and identify the persons responsible for Faizabad dharna and recommend legal action against them.
The commission headed by retired PSP officer Syed Akhtar Ali Shah and comprising former Inspector General of Police Tahir Alam Khan and Additional Secretary Ministry of Interior Khushal Khan in second week of April submitted its report to the Cabinet Division.
The commission proposed implementing the National Action Plan and emphasized the need for executive to fulfil its responsibilities effectively. Moreover, it suggested amendments to laws, including those related to social media, to better regulate platforms like PEMRA Ordinance.
A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, heard the petitions of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Military Intelligence (MI), and Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), media wing of army, Ministry of Defence, the PTI, MQM-P, Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), President AML Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and President PML-Z Ijazul Haq regarding dharna.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) submitted 11-volume report in sealed bag. The court had directed the commission to file implementation report within one month.
During the proceedings, the chief justice inquired from the Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) how much time was required for filing of Inquiry Commission report. AGP Mansoor Usman Awan replied that the commission’s report would be filed by February 14.
The chief justice said that after examining the report they would pass an appropriate order. The court on 15th November, 2023 had given two months to the commission to conclude its finding about the Faizabad dharna.