IHC seeks legal assistance on MPs’ disqualification pleas

CJ says why court hear such cases when other forums, including parliament are available

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday sought assistance on legal points in petitions challenging the qualifications of former president Asif Ali Zardari and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain.

The court instructed the lawyers to give arguments on the next hearing on December 9 on the maintainability of the petitions and satisfy the bench as to why it should hear such cases under against the elected members of the parliament.

The court would not delay proceeding in the cases any further, the bench observed, adding that there should be a system of self-accountability in the parliament instead of involving courts into such conflicts.

Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the cases pertaining to eligibility of Zardari and Chaudhry. Fawad Chaudhry’s lawyer Faisal Chaudhry appeared before the bench and prayed the court to dismiss the case over non prosecution as the petitioner, Sami Ibrahim was absent.

Let the petitioner come on the next hearing then the bench would view the matter, the chief justice remarked. He then asked who would present the arguments. Faisal Chaudhry replied that the petitioner should start arguments.

Chief Justice Minallah asked why the court should interfere in such matters. The political leadership should raise the matter at relevant forums instead of dragging courts into their conflicts. He also said that there were other forums, including parliament, to deal the matter.

He pointed out that the courts were already overburdened with pending cases. The court instructed the petitioners to give arguments on the maintainability of the cases and remarked it would not go to the cases’ merit first.

The chief justice remarked that the court wanted to decide the cases, once and for all. The lawyer of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) informed the court that his department could provide the details of one’s tax return on directives of the court only. The hearing was adjourned till December 9.

(WITH INPUT FROM APP)