Seven SC benches formed amid govt's no-trust

Justice Ahsan and Justice Akhtar hearing PTI's plea against polls delay

ISLAMABAD:

Despite the coalition government expressing its lack of confidence in the Supreme Court bench hearing the polls delay case, Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial has formed seven of them to hear cases in Islamabad next week.

On April 3, a top court special bench, comprising CJP Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Muneeb Akhtar, will hear the petition filed by the PTI against the delay in the elections in Punjab.

According to the cause list issued by the SC Registrar’s Office, seven benches will hear the cases at the Islamabad principal seat.

The first bench will comprise the CJP himself and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar; Justice Isa and Justice Yahya Afridi in the second one; the third bench will comprise Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Athar Minallah; Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi on the fourth one; the fifth bench will comprise Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Jamal Mandokhail; Justice Muneeb Akhtar and Justice Mazahar Akbar Naqvi in the sixth one; and the seventh bench will comprise Justice Ayesha Malik and Justice Shahid Waheed.

Read more: Coalition parties express 'no confidence' in CJ-led bench hearing polls delay case

On April 4, a three-member special bench, headed by Justice Akhtar, will hear the petitions filed in connection with the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA) and the policy about the allotment of plots to bureaucrats and judges in Sector F-14 and F-15 of Islamabad.

On February 3, 2021, the Islamabad High Court declared the allotment of plots to judges, bureaucrats and government employees in the special sectors of the federal capital as “unconstitutional”.

The IHC verdict had affected six sitting judges and many retired ones.

In March, the SC expressed its surprise over the IHC initiating suo motu proceedings in an FGEHA scheme case.

Also read: Imran threatens street protests if polls not held in 90 days

On April 5, important cases will be heard in the apex court including that of the bail cancellation of former Balochistan health minister Rehmat Saleh Baloch in a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) reference against him.

The former provincial minister faces charges of opening bank accounts in the name of his brothers, relatives and low-ranking employees to transfer embezzled money into them.

A two-member bench, headed by Justice Ahsan, will also hear the petitions filed against the dismissal of the law officers sacked by the Punjab caretaker government.