ISLAMABAD/LAHORE - Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb Friday said that the detailed note of Justice Athar Minallah is a question mark on Supreme Court's proceedings in the case pertaining to elections in Punjab.
Addressing a news conference in Islamabad, she said Justice Minallah's note proves that the proceedings after the petition was dismissed by a majority of 4-3 bench, was wrong interpretation of Constitution, misconduct and undue political interference by judiciary in politics.
After Supreme Court Justice Athar Minallah's hard-hitting observation that noted the suo-motu on the delay in holding polls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab was dismissed 4-3, Aurangzeb said: " Chief justice has now become controversial. Therefore, the chief justice should resign."
The minister said the Supreme Court's handling of this case has ensued a constitutional crisis in the country. The Minister said no political party ever evades elections, but elections should be held on the completion of constitutional tenure of the assemblies and at the same time across the country and should not be susceptible to the whims of any individual.
Meanwhile, Senior Vice-President and Chief Organiser of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Maryam Nawaz Sharif Friday demanded resignation from the Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial accusing him of being biased in favour of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and its leadership.
“No CJ has ever been accused of such misconduct. His tilt towards PTI is glaring. CJP Bandial must RESIGN’’, she said in a series of tweets shortly after the meeting of the National Security Council chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad on Friday afternoon.
Maryam Nawaz alleged that the chief justice had committed flagrant violations of law and Constitution to favor Imran Khan and his party. “This blatant abuse of authority has led to an unprecedented revolt-like situation in the Supreme Court and judges of impeccable repute have raised serious questions on CJP’s conduct and bias”, she maintained.
She also called upon the government to file a reference against the chief justice and demanded that the chief justice and his favorite judges should be asked to step down till the outcome of the decision on the reference. “The reference against the CJP has to be filed by the government, cabinet. Even if the president withholds it, let the world see the evil-nexus and identify the accomplices in crime. It will further cement that fact that they are hand-in-glove with the CJP”, she observed in her tweet.
Maryam said that Parliament could also file the reference [if the government could not do so]. “Fairness demands that justice be carried out smoothly and impartially”, she demanded.
Maryam Nawaz Sharif has been much vocal in criticism of the chief justice and his like-minded judges for delivering a verdict which according to her was controversial and unconstitutional. After the Supreme Court decision about Punjab polls, she had questioned why the 4/3 judgment was changed into 3/2 to favor the PTI.