ISLAMABAD: Rana Sanaullah Khan, the interior minister, stated on Sunday that those who had made a false complaint against a Supreme Court judge should be ashamed of themselves for bringing up the honor of the judiciary.
In response to a statement made by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi, he declared that “the gang led by Imran Khan has always stood against the constitution, justice, and the people.” The minister claimed that although they were the ones who threatened a female judge and filed an unfounded complaint against Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, they had no shame in telling others to respect the judiciary.
“The ‘Rangbaaz’ of Zaman Park and ‘Dabba Peer’ of Multan along with their three associates are insulting the opinions of the majority of Supreme Court judges. Ironically they, who had threatened a female judge, have now become spokespersons and supporters of three judges,” Rana said.
“The ‘Dabba Peer’, the ‘Dabbu’, the dacoit and the intellectual are waiting for Imran’s disqualification so that they could take over the party’s leadership,” he added.
Earlier, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan hinted at filing a reference against three of the judges hearing Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa election delay case in the Supreme Court. The government’s action follows the three-judge bench, led by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, continuing to hear the case after the recusals and refusing to form a full court bench despite appeals from the ruling alliance. In this case, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) filed a petition asking for a court order to hold elections in the provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Following Imran Khan’s instructions, the PTI dissolved the provincial assemblies in two provinces in January of this year in an effort to hold early elections.
The tensions have escalated following the top court’s order on March 1 to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold elections in the two provinces within 90 days of the dissolution of the two assemblies.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, in a recent interview, said that the government has not so far decided to file a reference against the three-member bench, including the chief justice, but it may do so. The government can bring references against the judges who it has reservations, he noted, adding the government may hold discussions to file references against the judges as it has serious concerns.
Rana Sanaullah said that the three judges have a long record of giving anti-PML-N rulings.
There is also a verdict, which has been termed equivalent to rewriting the Constitution by not only the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) but also everyone else who knows a little bit of the law, he said, referring to the interpretation of Article 63(A) by the apex court.
The interior minister said that under Article 63(A) verdict, the PML-N government was overthrown in Punjab. It still appears that three judges are determined to make this verdict themselves at any cost.
He said that a bench comprising nine members was initially formed, but was subsequently reduced to seven, then to five, and further to four. Currently, the bench is composed of three judges, he pointed out.
All three judges have rejected the request to form a full court bench, he said, adding they [the three judges] have refused to acknowledge the request from their fellow judges.
The interior minister further said that there is no other way for them to register their protest than to file a reference against the said judges.
The PML-N minister called on PTI chief Imran Khan to directly approach Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Asif Zardari, or Shehbaz Sharif, if he is serious about negotiations as offer from others made on Khan’s behalf has no significance. Imran Khan has not made any personal overtures towards talks, he noted.
Rana Sanaullah said that the leaders of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) met on Saturday. All the coalition leaders, including Asif Ali Zardari of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) who attended the meeting through a video link from Dubai, unanimously agreed that the three-member bench’s proceedings were unconstitutional and illegal.
