ISLAMABAD: Taking aim at the legal fraternity, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday regretted that one of the leading lawyers’ bodies in the country had gone to court to seek a second chance for “a convicted crook”.

He was referring to a Supreme Court Bar Association’s (SCBA) petition — seeking a review of the apex court’s order that politicians disqualified under Article 62(1f) of the Constitution would be barred for life — that was recently filed before the highest court in the land.

The outcome of this petition could affect SC verdicts disqualifying Pakistan Mus­lim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif and former Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Jahangir Tareen.

Incidentally, the petition was returned by the registrar’s office on Monday on the grounds that since the matter had already been decided through the judgement in the 2018 Sami Ullah Baloch case, it could not be entertained.

SCBA President Mohammad Ahsan Bhoon told Dawn they would challenge the registrar’s decision. Earlier in the day, during a full-court reference held in honour of outgoing Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed, he expressed the hope that their petition would be taken up by a full court.

Pakistan Bar Council Vice Chairman Hafeezur Rehman Chaudhry also expressed his disappointment after learning that the petition had been returned by the registrar office and echoed Mr Bhoon’s demand for a full court to take up the matter.

Speaking at a ceremony held to mark the launch of the Sehat Insaf Card in Bahawalpur, Prime Minister Khan said it was surprising that one of the leading legal bodies in the country had gone to court to seek a second chance for someone who had stolen public money, had been convicted and who then had resorted to lies to escape abroad.

Although he was clearly talking about Nawaz Sharif and the Sharif family, PM Khan did not name the former PM. He asked, rhetorically: “If this is how things are, then what is wrong with stealing?”

Referring to the large number of petty criminals who were behind bars, the premier said: “If you don’t see the evil in it, then why are these poor souls behind bars? First, let them out… The next petition should be to open all jails and free all those people who have been imprisoned for theft.”

He deplored that only the powerful get off scot-free. “They can do whatever they want. Both his sons are... living in London in properties worth billions of rupees. London is the most expensive city in Europe and their properties are located in most expensive parts of the city.”

In a related development, the Nazaria-i-Pakistan Council of Lawyers — a little known organisation from Lahore — has moved a petition before the apex court seeking the SCBA petition’s dismissal with cost.

The petition argues that the SCBA president had allegedly attempted to drag the constitutional body into politics, as he had no locus standi to file a petition in the matter. It highlighted that as a constitutional body, the SCBA was barred from participating in national politics, and pleaded that Sharif’s lifetime disqualification was a ‘past and closed transaction’ and should not be re-agitated.

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2022