PML-N leader urges Parliament to play its role in bringing judicial reforms

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader Senator Talal Chaudhry on Wednesday urged Parliament to play its role in bringing judicial reforms and to review the appointments of some “particular” judges “handpicked” by former chief justice Saqib Nisar.

Speaking at a news conference, the PML-N leader said that this is a failure of the parliament and the politicians that no judicial reforms have been made.

He said that the parliament should take the lead and play its due role in bringing judicial reforms.

Chaudhry also referred to some decisions taken by the country’s highest judiciary in the past including the judicial murder of former prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and the disqualification of PML-N Quaid and ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

“Even action can be taken against a sitting prime minister, politicians and government officer in contempt of court. But a judge cannot be summoned in contempt of the parliament,” he said, adding that over a dozen judges have been sent home in contempt of the parliament in neighbouring India.

“No one will ask you even if you validate a dictatorship,” he said, adding that an elected prime minister was hanged to death and another sitting prime minister Nawaz Sharif disqualified for a lifetime “unjustly”. But who will take action against those who passed such controversial judgements? he asked.

“Those people are making decisions under Articles 62, 63 who themselves do not meet the criterion under these articles to be a judge. Unless the appointments of some particular judges picked by former chief justice Saqib Nasar are not reviewed, more things will come to the fore,” he further maintained.

He agreed that the judiciary should be free of any kind of pressure, adding that the lawyers also put pressure on the judiciary through their bar politics.

“If a judge cannot take on pressure, how he continues to sit on his chair? Judges are supposed to write notes instead of writing letters,” he said while commenting on the letters written to the chief justice by certain judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

He said that the most under pressure are the judges of district courts and a priority hearing should have been conducted on the letter written to the chief justice of the IHC by a district and sessions judge. How many decisions they might have given under pressure?

To a question about PTI founding chairman Imran Khan getting bail in the 190 million pound “corruption” case, he said that the PTI founding chairman is a “privileged” person and a “blue-eyed”, adding that Khan is enjoying favours since the first day he joined politics. “This is an open and shut case and he is guilty in the corruption case,” he maintained.

“We were disqualified for five years in contempt of court case and Imran Khan was given pardon despite giving threatening statements against a woman judge,” he added.

To another query about “Dubai Leaks,” he said that action should be taken in light of the leaks and the FBR needs to investigate and take action if anyone has violated the law.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024