PDM ready for showdown, to stage sit-in outside SC on Monday

ISLAMABAD/LONDON: The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on Friday looked set for a confrontation with its announcement to stage a sit-in in front of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Monday against Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial for ‘facilitating’ and giving ‘VIP protocol’ to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan. 

The decision was taken in the leadership meeting of the alliance, which was also attended by PML-N supremo Muhammad Nawaz Sharif through a video link. 

In a hard-hitting press conference, PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman alleged that the country’s Constitution had been put at risk for the sake of the PTI chairman. “We have decided that we will protest against this behaviour. As someone who is representing the PDM, I appeal to the entire nation to reach Islamabad on Monday. We will stage a sit-in and protest in huge numbers,” he said while addressing a press conference in Islamabad. The ruling alliance of 13 political parties largely criticised the CJP for welcoming Khan into the courtroom.

Fazl told newsmen that convoys carrying party workers would reach Islamabad and give a strong reaction on Imran Khan’s release and the 3-2 verdict. He said there would be a big demonstration and sit-in in front of the Supreme Court building. “We want to tell them that Supreme Court is the mother of law and not mother-in-law,” he said. “We accept the 4-3 decision and reject the 3-2 decision,” he said adding that Chief Justice alone could not take suo moto notice.

During the presser, the PDM chief — who is also the head of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) — said that the top court ordered not to take action against Khan for the incidents after May 9. He added the judiciary was giving rulings beyond the Constitution. Fazl further said that if the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or any other group attacked the state, they were declared traitors and the group was outlawed but regretted no action was taken against the PTI for attacking the GHQ and the residence of corps commander, Lahore.

Blasting the apex court, the PDM chief said no leniency was given to three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Fazl said even Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo was not provided with a telephone to inquire about the health of her ailing wife, Kulsoom Nawaz. “Was this kind of leniency given to Maryam Nawaz or Faryal Talpur?” the JUI-F chief asked. But, on the other hand, Khan was being given VIP protocol, he added.

Fazl said in the past also, he had led a big demonstration in Islamabad and no law and order situation was created but now “if someone tries to stop us, we will reply with clubs, slaps and punches if needed,” he warned.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Peoples Party also announced to participate in the Pakistan Democratic Movement protest in front of the Supreme Court on Monday. “We will also attend the protest in front of the Supreme Court on Monday,” announced Secretary General PPP Syed Nayyer Hussain Bokhari on Friday after the press conference of President PDM Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

It may be mentioned that the PPP is not a part of the PDM but is a major coalition partner in the government and its announcement for participating in the PDM protest signals giving all-out support to the alliance. Secretary General Syed Nayyer Hussain Bokhari said the red carpet reception to an accused by the Supreme Court is denial of justice. “We will protest against the double standards of justice on Monday,” he said.

Bokhari said Chief Justice Supreme Court’s expression of happiness on seeing the accused raises a question. “It is surprising that the chief justice wished good luck to the accused,” he said.

Bokhari directed all the party office-bearers to attend the Monday’s protest. “The leadership of the PPP will also participate in the protest in front of the Supreme Court,” he said.

In a jibe at Imran’s arrest and release episode, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz chief and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif said the Supreme Court Chief Justice Umar Atta Bandial should have wished Imran Khan “good luck with the Rs60 billion stolen from the nation”.

He said the Supreme Court chief justice should have also wished Khan good luck in his remarks about the 60 billion corruption case related to the Al-Qadir Trust/UK National Crime Agency (NCA) £140 million case.

Nawaz Sharif has, on several occasions, called out Justice Umar Ata Bandial for forming benches and giving judgments in favour of Imran Khan, and has said they are “at the cost of the nation’s prosperity”. He has also advised the CJP to openly join PTI. Reacting to the developments, Maryam Nawaz Sharif told the CJP he should be ready for political reaction for going out of his way to support Imran Khan. In her latest Tweet, PMLN Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz charged that the chief justice of Pakistan had lost his dignity by protecting a terrorist and asked him to prepare for facing a political backlash.

Maryam Nawaz said: “You have lost your dignity after becoming a facilitator of a terrorist, playing with the country’s fate, and you are using your chair for Imran’s politics; so now be prepared for political backlash.”

She claimed that the CJP had become a threat to the justice system as well as national security, adding that the chief justice was no longer a representative of the judiciary. She wrote that being the chief justice did not mean to enslave the state to a person, who had destroyed every sign of national dignity and national defence through his private goons.

Taking a jibe at the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman, Maryam said preventing a person like him from being arrested in any case, treating him as a royal guest, and boosting his profile is an insult to every Pakistani. “This is particularly insensitive to the martyrs and Ghazis, whose sacrifice and bravery have been undermined by such actions,” she added. “CJP, you are not only a threat to the justice system and national security but also to the judiciary, the Constitution and law.” The PMLN senior vice president said a Fitna is hiding in the court for fear of arrest. If arresting from court premises is wrong, then it is a new law to allow a criminal to take refuge in the court, adding that she feels ashamed of the double standards of the apex court.

Meanwhile, the PPP’s announcement to join the sit-in of the Pakistan Democratic Movement against the conduct of the Chief Justice in front of the Supreme Court complex is a great morale booster for the ruling alliance. It is likely that the ANP, which has built bridges with the JUIF and ruling coalition in recent times, would also become a partner in the sit-in.

Highly-placed sources told The News that the JUI, under Maulana Fazlur Rehman, has asked his workers to bring bedding, clothing and other essential items for a lengthy stay in the federal capital.

It is expected that similar instructions would be issued by other parties of the PDM to their workers. The leadership meeting of the JUIF under Maulana Fazal was underway till late Friday night where arrangements were being worked out for the sit-in.

The sources pointed out that a charter of demand would also be made public in the protest pertaining to excesses committed by the superior judiciary and its undue involvement in politics. It will also highlight the failures of the judiciary in dispensing justice. The verdict of four-three in the suo motu case against the 2-3 SC judgment, asking for Punjab Assembly polls on May 14 would be assailed since the parliament has already rejected it. The demand regarding the ouster of judges, who have come to the exalted court without merit of seniority and through executive orders, could also be included in the charter.

The sources said that the document is being refined in discussions with the PDM leadership and it would be made public after consensus. In the meanwhile, district administration of Islamabad would take a decision about the withdrawal of Section 144 of the CrPC banning gatherings of five and more than five people on Sunday. That was put in place in recent days in the face of the activities of PTI and its Chairman Imran Khan.

The JUI-F chief, Maulana Fazl’s spokesman Aslam Ghauri, has maintained that the sit-in would be a rejoinder to the handful of terrorist-like workers of the PTI, who inflicted heavy losses to the sensitive installations and state properties.

It will show the strength of PDM workers and allied parties at the same time. The PDM leadership will also approach Jamaat-e-Islami leadership for its support and to join the protest against the injustice being perpetrated by the top judge, the sources added.