News Analysis |
All the efforts seeking to halt confrontation between the state institutions came virtually to an end when the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) passed comments during a case hearing and allegedly used the word ‘faryadi’ for Prime Minister (PM) Abbasi.
While hearing the case against illegal construction in Murree, CJ had said, it is his job to listen to the pleas of every ‘faryadi’. “The PM came with a plea, and it is my duty to hear everyone’s requests. I didn’t go to the PM house or the Secretariat. They came to visit me,” he asserted.
Nawaz bashed CJP after PM meeting for not working in his domain. On Thursday, he again stated that every institution should work within its constitutional limits and boundaries [defined under the law]. Media ran the CJP remarks all day on TV, about the PM meeting, which were contrastingly different from what was said in the press release.
Extraordinary meetings have reasons behind them. When a meeting lasts two hours, it makes people speculate even more especially given the fact that no press release or explanation came from PM’s office.
PM should explain, if he was ‘faryadi’ or not? Interestingly, before posing these questions, Nawaz urged the PM to seek an explanation from CJP over his remarks. Earlier, on Wednesday, CJP while hearing a case pertaining to medicines and injections being stolen from hospitals said, work is underway on the directives of the court and issues will be resolved soon especially after his meeting with a PM.
On Thursday, CJP stated that meeting with PM only benefited the judiciary. After much uproar on media, in a reply to a reporter’s question, CJ denied the allegations and said I never called the PM a ‘faryadi’. Moreover, late on Thursday, SC issued a statement which said that top judge never used the words of faryadi for the sitting PM.
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“It is categorically stated that this attribution to the Hon’ble Chief Justice of Pakistan Mr. Justice Mian Saqib Nisar is completely wrong and malicious,” it added. “CJP holds the PM in high esteem, being the head of the government, and has never used the word ‘faryadi’ for him,” the statement said.
Pakistan Tehrek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan bashed PM for playing at the hands of Nawaz. He alleged that Abbasi’s long rendezvous was not about judicial reforms and legislation, but an attempt to secure a National Reconciliation Order (NRO) for Nawaz. Imran claimed that PM must have pleaded to CJP to grant him an NRO and the only reason Nawaz brought this puppet PM was to save his ill-gotten wealth accumulated abroad.
All the efforts seeking to halt confrontation between the state institutions came virtually to an end when the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) passed comments during a case hearing and allegedly used the word ‘faryadi’ for Prime Minister (PM) Abbasi.
The leader of the Opposition in National Assembly (NA), Syed Khursheed Shah questioned the timing of the meeting amid ongoing cases against ‘House of Nawaz’ in accountability court. PPP leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also claimed that this rendezvous has brought Nawaz Sharif’s drama out in the open as he only intends to save himself.
Since Nawaz is still a defacto PM, then, such a meeting only heated up the speculations regarding NRO. The transition of CJP from PM’s backing for CJP’s vision of judicial reforms to calling him a faryadi created a stir and debate erupted on these remarks. Some analysts questioned the use of these selected words to describe the incumbent executive of the country.
But question also arises, why is Abbasi thinking of judicial reforms only two months prior to the general elections? Nawaz being surprised at the meeting is certainly dramatic. How is it possible that Nawaz was unaware of this ill-timed and unusual meeting? And how come Nawaz didn’t even meet the PM before or after the meeting?
Read more: “Article 62(1)(f) is difficult to define”, observes CJP
Extraordinary meetings have reasons behind them. When a meeting lasts two hours, it makes people speculate even more especially given the fact that no press release or explanation came from PM’s office.
Misunderstandings & conflicts between institutions sparked heated discussion over the domain and jurisdictions of the institutions. Amid the criticism from many quarters, if CJP is working to point out the failure of the system and is trying to make a contribution to bring progressive change in society, in health and education sector in particular. It should be appreciated as long as it genuinely aims to revamp the system rather than creating hurdles for the institutions.