KARACHI: Calling the conduct of Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial questionable, PML-N leader Khurram Dastgir Khan has acknowledged the top judge is one of the impediments in the return of party supremo Nawaz Sharif to Pakistan.

In an interview with VOA Urdu, published on Thursday, Mr Dast­gir was asked about the return of Mr Sharif as the country was moving towards general elections.

The minister replied that althou­­gh there were no “political impediments” in his return, there are two hurdles that still stand in the way — his health and legal issues.

“Although he [Mr Sharif] has recently travelled and he was in the Middle East recently, if his physician gives him the certificate, which we expect [then he will return]. Second is his legal difficulties”.

When the anchor interjected if Mr Sharif was awaiting the retirement of CJP Bandial, the minister said this was indeed a big speculation.

Minister links power sector issues with weak writ of state in certain areas

“[W]e don’t have a concrete opinion on this issue. The conduct of Justice Bandial has remained questionable,” he said, adding the bias of CJP Bandial was not tacit anymore but “there is a clear pattern in front of us.”

“As long as he is there, it is improbable that cases against Mr Sharif would end. But it is not a huge hurdle.”

Mr Dastgir, who is also the federal power minister, is not the first PML-N leader to link Mr Sharif’s return with the retirement of CJP Bandial.

Earlier this month, another PML-N leader, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, also hinted at the possibility of the PML-N supremo’s return after the chief justice’s retirement.

Mr Asif said he had “severe concerns” over the apex court’s behaviour during the past few months and Mr Sharif shouldn’t return in this situation.

Governance, transmission system

When asked about the performance of his ministry, Mr Dastgir acknowledged that the power sector has been plagued with several issues.

He added that at least three years and strong political will was needed to fix these issues.

“The biggest flaws in the power transmission system exist in areas where the writ of the state was weak,” he said while citing the districts bordering Afghanistan and rural areas of Sindh as examples.

“There are massive line losses and [electricity] theft in these areas.”

There was a double challenge of governance and power structure in these areas and both needed to be solved simultaneously, he added.

On the legislation to empower the interim government, he said changes in the law have been made to ensure that any potential foreign investment doesn’t hit a snag for the sole reason that an elected government was not present in the country.

He said the Constitution gives a timeline of 60 to 90 days to hold elections and he believed polls will be held “within 90 days at max” — in the first 10 days of November.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2023