Bhoon urges SC to take up SCBA petition

Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Ahsan Bhoon requested the apex court on Sunday to take up the bar’s plea against its short judgment on the presidential reference to restore the confidence of the public in the constitutional and democratic system.

In a statement, the SCBA president noted that once again a debate over the interpretation of Article 63-A(1)b had been ignited in the country – a matter purely related to the understanding of the Constitution.

Therefore, he “called upon and urged the Supreme Court to take up the already filed review petition No C.R.P 197 of 2022 by the SCBAP against the short judgment passed by the apex court, on 17. 05.2022, in Presidential Reference No 01 of 2022”.

Bhoon underlined that it was the right time for the apex court to take up the SCBA petition and decide the matter once and for all, “so that no one dares to point finger towards the apex court”.

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While referring to the short order of May 17, Bhoon said that it was not a unanimous ruling, but a split decision with 3-2 majority, which proved that there were certain touchstones that needed to be addressed.

The SCBA alongside the overwhelming majority of the legal fraternity “is of the opinion that the interpretation of Article 63(A) pertaining to the treatment of dissidents, is against the norms of natural justice, hence requires thorough and detailed debate”, he added.

Therefore, Bhoon stated: “A bench comprising full court be constituted, so as to reach conclusive interpretation and to maintain the confidence of public as well as of the political parties.”

In the end, the bar president also called on all political parties to refrain from making the orders of the apex court and its judges controversial and let the court interpret the constitutional matters.