IHC CJ says courts shouldn’t be used for political motives

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Monday ordered for clubbing all petitions seeking disqualification of the MNAs and MPAs, as the court would hear and give a combined ruling on it.

The court set March-9 date to hear the combined petitions. The cases would be wrapped up together so that the court could listen to other petitioners, the court remarked. The court made the remarks while hearing the disqualification case against Federal Science Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Monday.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah remarked that the court had a clear stance on hearing cases against the representatives of the government. The courts should not be used for political motives. “Why should we hear cases that will eventually lead to the criticism of the courts?”

The petitioner said the court had to make a decision if the law was violated anywhere, adding that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was also disqualified by the courts. Former chief justice Asif Saeed Khosa said that the Parliament should amend Article 62 (1)(f). If it remains the same, then all of us could be disqualified under it, the court added. Article 62 (1)(f) of the Constitution is a provision requiring elected officials to be ‘sadiq and ameen’ [honest and righteous]. Former PM Nawaz Sharif and PTI leader Jahangir Tareen were disqualified under this clause. If people have been electing the wrong representatives, then let them do so, said Justice Minallah. Giving verdicts on political matters has affected the judiciary, he added.

“We trust people to make the right decision,” he said, adding that matters that relate to a person’s competence and disqualification should be solved out of courts. Fawad Chaudhry, who attended the hearing, said whatever had been presented in the court was nothing but a classic example of blackmailing. “Courts are supposed to protect us from being blackmailed.”

Responding to Fawad Ch, Justice Minallah said politicians should play their role in changing the blackmail culture. “People hurl abuses at judges on the social media,” he remarked, adding that MPAs and MNAs should try to change this culture too.

Journalist Sami Ibrahim had filed a disqualification petition against the federal minister two years ago. He claimed that the minister did not disclose details of the land he owns in Jhelum in his nomination papers for the 2018 general election. He is no longer ‘sadiq and ameen’ and should be disqualified, he argued.