CJP's ‘biased attitude’ has divided Supreme Court: Fazl

PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has lamented the “biased attitude” of Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial and two other judges — Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar — who are part of the apex court bench hearing the PTI’s petition against postponement of elections in Punjab.

“Some judges clearly want to give relief to Imran Khan and want his party's stance to be ‘vindicated’ at any cost,” he alleged while addressing the media in Lahore on Saturday.

His statement came following a consultative meeting of the coalition parties to discuss the ongoing situation in light of a deepening judicial crisis in the country.

The huddle presided over by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed its lack of confidence in the three-member Supreme Court bench and demanded the top court to constitute a full court to hear the Punjab elections delay case.

Fazl said the “biased attitude” of the judges part of the three-member has “divided” the Supreme Court and demanded them to recuse themselves from Punjab elections delay case on moral grounds.

“The chief justice is advising us that this matter should be resolved through consensus but he himself has divided the honourable court,” he remarked.

Also read: Coalition parties demand full court to hear poll delay case

He also refused to hold talks with PTI chief Imran Khan, saying no negotiations would take place with the “criminal brought into power through rigging”.

Fazl said today it is being said that the Constitution required that elections should be held within 90 days of the dissolution of the provincial legislature.

“Why was this not a requirement of the Constitution when this court allowed dictator Pervez Musharraf to delay elections for three years?” he asked.

The census is taking place in the country and delimitation of the constituencies will be carried out based on new voter lists, he said, adding that if polls were held before the census, the new voters would not able to cast their ballot.

The PDM chief also urged the country’s top court to handle “matters carefully and not become a party”.