While expressing distrust in the government’s fact-finding committee to investigate and identify the handlers of the 2017 Faizabad sit-in, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa on Wednesday rejected the committee and declared it illegal, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
During the hearing, Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa also ordered the government to constitute a new inquiry commission into the matter.
A three-member SC bench, headed by CJP Qazi Faez Isa, heard the Faizabad sit-in review case. Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Athar Minallah were part of the bench.
“Absar Alam [Pemra ex-chairman] has levelled serious allegations against an employee of the Ministry of Defence,” the CJP remarked.
“We have seen the allegations levelled by Absar Alam. We have formed a fact-finding committee? The fact-finding committee will review all aspects and submit a report,” the attorney general told the CJP.
“Nothing will happen by forming the committee. Only reports will come. Everyone including you is saying the Faizabad sit-in judgement is right. The government committee is like throwing dust in the eyes,” the CJP talked to the attorney general.
“Will all the responsible parties be held accountable in the TORs made by the committee. The entire country had been held hostage by one party. The government does not have the capability to investigate. Even the children can give better answers than you,” he added.
“Are the affairs of the state being run according to the Constitution?” Justice Athar Minallah inquired.
“In the sit-in case, the court gave the entire history. We asked who was responsible for the sit-in. The government has not made a single TOR of the committee correct. The government wants everyone to be held responsible and no action should be taken against anyone,” the CJP remarked.
“Billions of rupees have been lost, but the government does not care. We will not review the committee report. The additional secretary is part of the interior committee. What can he do?” he added.
“How many bridges were destroyed? How much damage was done? Who will see all this?” he questioned.
“Under what law and by whom was the committee constituted? What is the legal status of the government’s fact-finding committee?” Justice Athar Minallah questioned.
“The government has formed the committee only for investigations. The committee will give recommendations along with the report,” the attorney general told the court.
“The fact-finding committee is just a piece of paper. A country cannot be run with a piece of paper. Tell us under which rules of business and under which law the committee was formed,” the CJP questioned.
“A person was imported from abroad and paralysed the whole country. The way the government wants to run things will not happen. The court will declare that the government has not done anything in the Faizabad sit-in case,” he remarked.
“We want to know who was the mastermind of the Faizabad sit-in. The government should say directly that it does not want to work. When those who take the law into their hands will be punished, people will learn a lesson,” he emphasised.
“The decision has not been implemented since February 6, 2019. In this way, everyone here will say that whatever I do, no one can ask me. The way review petitions are being withdrawn, it seems that no institution is independent,” he added.
“Which law says if a review is filed, the decision will not be implemented? Did the government contact the Canadian government? Will no one ask if people from Canada come here and protest? Can Pakistanis go to Canada and stage a sit-in like this,” he questioned.
“Other countries protect their citizens. Our people are defaming both the country and the religion,” he remarked.
“Today, we will teach the Pemra chairman his and our law. If you had read your own law, you would have known that no decision is taken orally. The Pemra chairman is not telling the truth. Some secret power must have asked for a review,” the CJP remarked.
“Action should be taken on the violation of law. Why was the review petition filed?” Justice Athar Minallah questioned.
“Salim Baig, your name is in the Faizabad sit-in case,” the CJP told the Pemra chairman.
During the hearing of the case, the CJP also said that he did not consider Ziaul Haq as President.
“Do not call Ziaul Haq president again in this court,” the CJP interrupted the lawyer during the hearing of the case.
“Who did call you and what could the prime minister do about it?” the CJP inquired from Pemra ex-chairman Absar Alam.
Absar Alam said that there was no number in the call that had been made to him. “Faiz Hameed pressurised for action against Najam Sethi,” he added.
“Statements should not be given behind anyone’s back. Can you give the same statement in front of those whom you are accusing?” the CJP inquired from Absar Alam.
“I will make the same statement in front of him,” Absar Alam said while reciting Kalima.
Reporter: Amanat Gishkori