CJP commends Jamaat-e-Islami for promoting political consensus in country

The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday praised Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and said that the party had made a valuable effort to develop consensus among political parties, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The SC made these remarks while disposing of the JI’s petition against the privatization of Karachi-Electric (K-Electric).

A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umar Ata Bandial, heard the petition.

The apex court accepted the party’s request for time to raise the issue at an appropriate forum.

Addressing the JI’s lawyer, the CJP however, said that the issue under consideration was a bit different, and it was not possible for the court to go into details of the K-E’s privatization.

Justice Athar Minallah asked as to why the SC should take up the petition against the company’s privatization for hearing. “JI is respectable to us,” he said, adding, “The party has representation in the parliament. It is better that it raises the issue in the parliament.”

He further remarked that the petition filed under article 184/3 was against the government’s economic policies.

Rasheed A. Rizvi, counsel for the JI, said that one looked towards judiciary if the parliament failed to address an issue.  

“Don’t say that the parliament has failed to deliver,” Justice Minallah said, adding, “It will fail only when it does not get people’s respect. You better respect the parliament. This will strengthen it.”

Justice Ayesha Malik asked as to how the apex could declare K-E’s privatization null and void. “It is National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) that determines the tariff,” she said.

The JI’s lawyer told the court that his client would like to approach NEPRA and Council of Complaint.

Reporter: Amanat Gishkori