CJP regards lifelong disqualification a very harsh punishment

Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial has remarked that lifelong disqualification of someone is a very harsh punishment, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The CJP expressed these remarks during a hearing of presidential reference seeking interpretation of Article 63-A on Wednesday. 

A five-judge larger bench of the apex court headed by CJP Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Mazhar Alam, Justice Muneeb Akhtar and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel heard the case. 

Chief Justice of Pakistan Bandial observed that the country needed a strong and stable government and the ongoing show of musical chair in order to grab power should come to an end. He further noticed that there was much fluctuation, tension, and instability in the country’s political system. 

“It is a very harsh punishment if a dissident is disqualified for life,” the CJP said adding that the court would not allow anyone to take advantage of the situation. .

At the outset of the hearing, PML-Q lawyer Azhar Siddique started giving his arguments. He said that amendments were made to the constitution in order to curb defections. He said that on April 16, the PTI members violated party discipline and cast their votes in favour of Hamza Shehbaz. He said that a reference against the PTI dissident members was sub judice in the Election Commission of Pakistan. 

While addressing the PML-Q lawyer, Justice Mandokhel said that the PML-Q was in disarray as half of the Q-League sided with one party and the other half to the other political party. 

Justice Ahsan remarked that in Article 63-A, there was no mention of the duration of the disqualification period. He said that the punishment of de-seating was enough for a dissident.

Reporter Imanat Gishkori