Reserved seats hearing: KP advocate general rules out objections to CJP-led bench

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Advocate General Shah Faisal Utmankhel on Saturday dismissed reports that objections were being raised over the formation of the full court bench under Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa hearing a petition of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) regarding the reserved seats.

In a statement, the advocate general said they respected all the judges, including the chief justice, and had full confidence in them. He said the reports were aimed at creating a gulf between the judiciary and PTI. He said the provincial government had no intention to submit an application expressing lack of confidence in them. He made the statement in view of media reports attributed to the provincial government and office of the KP advocate general that the Sunni Ittehad Council/PTI had objected to the CJP hearing their case. He said that these reports were unfounded and no meeting had taken place at his office in this regard.

He said that all the judges of the Supreme Court and the high court were respectable and they had no objection to them. He said the provincial government had no objection over the Supreme Court bench hearing the SIC/PTI petition regarding the reserved seats. The AG said the courts would decide the case in accordance with law.

The advocate general said that he was preparing himself for the case to be taken up by the Supreme Court on June 3. He said the judges decided the case in accordance with the law and Constitution. He said the judges did not belong to any political party.

Meanwhile, PTI Information Secretary Raoof Hasan has said in Geo News ‘Naya Pakistan’ show that Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa has not yet been asked to withdraw from Imran Khan’s cases. However, he explained that politically, this decision has been taken, but the matter is still with the legal team.

“Chief Justice Isa is not included in the bench in our cases, there is also a decision of the Supreme Court that Justice Qazi should not be a member of the bench in any case of PTI and Imran Khan. We would like to know the reasons that why Justice Qazi Faez Isa has not fixed our petition on May 9 for hearing even after a year,” he contended.

He continued that the CJP has a petition concerning the February 8 elections but it was not being fixed. “Has he ever thought why there is a ban on Imran Khan’s picture and speech? Did he check Khawar Manika, who kept on using abusive language for one hour and 35 minutes?” the PTI leader questioned.