CJP not a fan of TV talk shows

Top judge's remarks came during the hearing of PML-N leader's plea seeking Imran Khan's NA disqualification

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar said on Tuesday that he had not watched TV for the last many years.

He said he would end up occasionally seeing clips of some shows, but that was only because people would share them with him.

The country's top judge's remarks came during the hearing of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hanif Abbasi's plea seeking the disqualification of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan and his party member Jahangir Tareen from their National Assembly seats.

Abbasi has sought their disqualification for concealing their sources of income, particularly the foreign funds the PTI had received.



The chief justice pointed out that who would ascertain as to whether or not the PTI had received funds from prohibited sources.

“Without ascertaining the sources of the foreign funds the PTI has received, it can't be said that Imran presented a false declaration before the Election Commission of Pakistan," the CJP noted.

Justice Umar Ata Bandial, another member of the bench, asked the PML-N counsel about his views on the Supreme Court's recent verdict in the Panamagate case as similar questions were raised in that matter too.



Akram Sheikh responded that both cases should be treated equally as they were of a similar nature. "The SC can directly disqualify Imran Khan on the basis of the available material," he added.

The PML-N counsel noted that one was case against the incumbent prime minister and the other against a person [Imran Khan] who was hoping to replace him.

Sheikh, however, made it clear that his client did not want a ban on the PTI for receiving foreign funds but only wanted its chairman disqualified.

The PTI counsel, Anwar Mansoor Khan, will present his argument on Wednesday.