Demand for CJP's resignation being made to divert attention: Fawad Chaudhry

Ahead of polls in the country, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Saturday censured the government for confusing the public about matters of the judiciary and using the demand for the Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial's resignation to "divert attention" from other pressing matters.

The party's senior vice-president, Fawad Chaudhry, said that discussions around judicial benches are not the public’s issues. “Elections are the solution to the problems of Pakistanis," he said during a press conference.

“The demand for the chief justice’s resignation is to divert attention from other matters. Pakistan has reached this extent because of the present leadership,” Fawad said.

He also added that the country is being pushed towards a political crisis.

The politician once again stressed the need for dialogue to resolve issues regarding elections asking rulers to sit together.

“The rulers should sit together and decide the rules of the game regarding elections,” the PTI leader said.

Praising the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) political thought, the politician said that the party has said two positive things.

“PPP refused to become part of a campaign against the judiciary. Secondly, PPP said that political parties don’t end the way of dialogue,” the PTI leader said.

A day earlier, the PPP’s core committee’s meeting — jointly chaired by former president Asif Ali Zardari and Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari — resolved to approach all parties in the coalition government to discuss the issue of dialogue among the political parties, including the PTI.

The party also stressed the importance of resolving conflicting court verdicts promptly and without impinging on the judiciary’s honour and prestige.

Sharing his views on Supreme Court judge Justice Athar Minallah with regard to his dissenting note, Fawad said: "We have a relationship of respect with Athar Minallah. No one can point a finger at Justice Athar Minullah and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah."

He added that all judges of the apex court are respected by his party.

In his detailed order regarding the SC's verdict on Punjab polls a day earlier, Justice Minallah stated that the case was dismissed by 4 to 3 and clarified that “he had not recused nor had any reason to dissociate himself” from the case.

Justice Minallah stated that he agreed with Justice Yahya Afridi’s note on the dismissal of the petition and his reasoning in the short order was “persuasive” therefore he had no “hesitation in concurring with the decision”.

Meanwhile, the former minister also praised President Arif Alvi’s decision to return the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2023 curtailing the powers of the country’s chief justice.

“The president took a good decision by sending back the bill. The nation stands with the judges,” he said.

'4 million people below poverty line'

Also speaking on the occasion, PTI leader Hammad Azhar said that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) troupe was imposed with immense pomp.

He also censured the government for the rising inflation in the country.

"Inflation rate is 34%, while vegetables, pulses, ghee and everything has become expensive. Foreign exchange has reached $9 billion and friendly countries have refused to help," the former PTI minister highlighted.

He lamented the rupee's downtrend and said debt has multiplied. "Industrial performance has gone negative, 50% of industries are closed. Export has also declined," Azhar said.

The PTI leader claimed several people are unemployed, while four million people have gone below the poverty line in a year's time.