IHC warns Rashid of 'exemplary' fine for bringing political matters to court

Former interior minister had challenged govt's 72-member 'heavy' federal cabinet

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) warned former interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Tuesday of imposing an exemplary fine on him if he approached the court regarding a political matter again.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah observed this while hearing the PTI-ally's plea challenging the formation of a 'heavy' federal cabinet.

Rashid maintained in his application that a 72-member cabinet was a violation of Article 92 (1) of the Constitution.

The chief justice said that disrespecting the Parliament was unacceptable, adding that "the court will not interfere in this matter".

The former minister's lawyer responded that there was no other forum to approach in this regard, except the court.

Read Poor to suffer if political chaos continues: Rashid

However, Justice Minallah said, "There are elected representatives in Parliament. That is the forum."

The court is to be approached if an individual's fundamental rights are being violated, the judge remarked.

He further termed Rashid's petition "baseless", stating that the politician should be fined for trying to hold the court accountable for the Parliament. "The Parliament itself holds the government accountable," he said.

The IHC chief justice ordered Rashid to withdraw the petition. "The courts have been abused in the past, this must stop now!" he remarked.

After the hearing, the former minister while talking to the media said that the chief justice has said not to "drag the court into every issue" and to go to the Parliament.

He told the media that the decision to not go to the Parliament however is Imran Khan's.