ISLAMABAD: Lawmakers continued to assail the judiciary for the second consecutive day during budget debate in the National Assembly on Friday, with a key minister alleging that the military courts case being heard by the Supreme Court was scripted and its verdict might face the same fate as its decision regarding holding of elections in Punjab on May 14.

After briefing the house about investigations into the Greece boat tragedy in which over 200 Pakistanis are feared dead, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah lashed out at the SC for taking up the petitions filed by various people, including senior lawyer and PPP dissident Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, challenging trial of those civilians in military courts who were allegedly involved in attacks on sensitive installations during protests in the aftermath of PTI chairman Imran Khan’s arrest on May 9.

Without naming Mr Ahsan and his lawyer, another PPP dissident Latif Khosa, the minister said there were confirmed reports that the two lawyers had met the PTI chairman in Lahore before the duo called on Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial. The next day, he said, the CJP fixed the case for hearing.

Mr Sanaullah said when Justice Qazi Faiz Isa refused to be part of the nine-member bench, both the lawyers first “pleaded” before Justice Isa not to leave the bench and then told the CJP this was the reason that they were demanding a full court bench.

Judiciary comes under fire in NA for second day running; Bilawal says PPP has no sympathies with arsonists

The minister said none of the petitioners had demanded the constitution of the full court bench during the hearing and “actually the demand was made during the meeting with the CJP”.

Moreover, he alleged that in the same meeting it was decided that Justice Isa should also be included in the bench as he had an opinion about the military. For the past one year, he pointed out, the CJP was not ready to allow Justice Isa to even sit with him on any bench.

Without naming, Rana Sanaullah passed some personal remarks against Mr Ahsan and Mr Khosa, stating that “they have played their innings and their mental and physical health is not good”.

The minister also referred to audio leaks, alleging that family members of the judges were involved in influencing the lower courts. He mentioned the cases against Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and alleged that the son-in-law of a judge was active in managing bails for the former chief minister of Punjab from every court. He also lashed out at former CJP Saqib Nisar, stating that today he was unable to attend social gatherings as he had become a “symbol of hate”.

Referring to the SC’s decision in which it had ordered holding of elections in Punjab on May 14, he said the verdict could not be implemented because it was not based on justice. He feared the decision of the present seven-judge bench might also meet the same fate.

He also questioned the haste being shown by the SC in taking up the cases regarding the military trial of the civilians. He said the country was unable to come out of the crisis situation as the “judges are not delivering justice and doing politics”.

Mr Sanaullah said if trials could not be held under the Army Act then the law should be repealed. He said this law had been in field for 70 years under which anyone entering and attacking the “prohibited area” would have to face a trial by military courts.

Speaking on a point of order, Mr Salahuddin of MQM-P also termed the SC’s decision to hear the military courts case a pre-planned move. He said his party in principle was also against the trial of civilians under military courts, “but look at the standard of the judiciary”.

“First raise your standard then expect that your decisions will be accepted,” he added while criticising the judiciary.

PTI in ‘blind alley’

Foreign Minister and PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said the PTI chairman had himself pushed his party into a “blind alley” following the May 9 incidents. He said time and again the PTI chief was asked from the parliamentary forums to announce his disassociation from the May 9 incidents but he paid no heed and consequently his party was today in trouble.

Those involved in attacking military installations and memorials of martyrs did not deserve any leniency, he said, adding that PPP would never defend those who had attacked such places.

He said all the social media accounts of former US president Donald Trump were suspended after his supporters attacked the parliament. However, he said, the Twitter and social media accounts of the PTI chief were still operational, perhaps because Pakistan had more democracy than the US.

In his speech, Mr Bhutto-Zardari thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for allocating funds in the budget for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the flood-affected areas of Sindh.

The ruling PML-N also faced the wrath of the opposition and treasury members over the ongoing power crisis and load-shedding in the country.

The National Assembly will meet again on Saturday (today).

Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2023