ISLAMABAD: Senior Puisne judge Justice Mansoor Ali Shah categorically denies any scheme on his part to dislodge or oust the present government in case he were the Chief Justice.
Sources close to Justice Mansoor Ali Shah told The News the allegations against him were all surmises and assumptions and without any legal backing. Amid ongoing allegations and mistrust from government ministers regarding Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, this correspondent reached out to sources close to the senior puisne judge to learn the facts surrounding the accusations against him and to gain clarity on the situation.
Sources close to the senior Puisne Judge stated, “Justice Mansoor Ali Shah wants everyone to understand that he is totally apolitical. His interest is in promoting the constitution, rule of law and democracy. And nothing comes in the way for him in achieving this.”
“While packing the government is a figment of their imagination. This has no bearing in examining the constitutionality of the 26th amendment whenever it comes before courts. It’s very easy to say a judge is controversial. In this case there is no evidence and secondly past judgments do not establish this accusation. So it is not only unfair but preposterous,” commented the sources close to the senior puisne judge.
Below is the detailed conversation between this correspondent and sources close to Justice Mansoor Ali Shah.Responding to Speaker Punjab Assembly Malik Ahmed Khan’s remarks on “judicial monarchy” and judges’ alleged involvement in politics, sources close to Justice Mansoor Ali Shah clarified, “Justice Shah is not responsible for the actions of previous Chief Justices, and he does not approve of their conduct-he has even written against them. It’s unfair to generalize all judges this way. His judgments stand as his record. Read them.”
In response to federal ministers’ claims that some judges are allegedly plotting to remove the PML-N government after October 25 and intend to bring Imran Khan to power through the election audit case, sources close to Justice Mansoor Ali Shah called these accusations “a pack of lies” and challenged the ministers, saying, “Let them provide evidence to support these claims.”
When asked about Advisor to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah’s remarks on a television show suggesting that Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Munib Akhtar have become controversial and should step back from becoming part of the constitutional bench, sources close to Justice Shah responded, “It’s easy to label someone controversial without any basis. Justice Shah has no such history, and it’s simply convenient for some to make these accusations. Good luck to them in their efforts. In the end, history will speak for itself.”
To a question about the government’s claim of having evidence against some judges allegedly planning to oust the PML-N government through an election audit case, sources close to Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said, “These allegations are completely baseless and lack any foundation.”
When asked about federal ministers questioning the timing of eight judges’ clarification on the reserved seats case, suggesting it aimed to block the Constitutional Amendment, sources close to Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said, “The Election Commission asked for clarification, and the judges were obligated to respond.”
When reminded of government ministers’ claims that the senior puisne judge issued clarification orders each time a Constitutional Amendment was about to be tabled, sources close to Justice Mansoor Ali Shah dismissed these as “baseless and unfounded assumptions without any legal basis.”
When asked about the harsh letter Justice Mansoor Ali Shah wrote to his former colleague - the outgoing Chief Justice, during the farewell reference, sources close to Justice Shah responded, “Let’s discuss that another time,” suggesting he preferred not to comment on the matter at this moment.
