PML-N to craft response after face-off with CJP

PM calls party lawmakers’ huddle today; information minister says meeting will devise future strategy

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has summoned an important meeting of parliamentary party of the PML-N on Monday (today) at the Parliament House to discuss the country’s political situation amid an ongoing tussle between the government and Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial.

The prime minister, who is also the PML-N president, has summoned the parliamentary party's meeting at 1pm to take its members into confidence on the decisions taken in the past few days and the current political volatility, which has been compounded by a severe financial crunch and constitutional breakdown.

Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said PM Shehbaz would preside over and address the meeting.

She added that the party members would consult and gauge the situation arising after the CJP turned down the government’s request to form a full court to hear the PTI’s plea against the delay in holding elections in Punjab within the constitutional limit of 90 days.

The information minister said the premier had called the huddle to learn about the party lawmakers’ opinion on the ongoing situation.

She continued that the participants of the meeting would also devise the future strategy of the party.

Aurangzeb said PM Shehbaz would attend the National Assembly session after the party meeting.

Although the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has delayed the elections in Punjab till October citing lack of funds and security, the government also wants polls after its constitutional term is completed in August this year.

However, the Supreme Court, while urging the political parties to lower the ‘toxic’ rhetoric, has been pushing the ECP to hold polls within the stipulated period of 90 days or a date closer to that.

The PTI has also been demanding polls in 90 days.

The PML-N’s parliamentary party meeting would be held just a day after PM Shehbaz consulted with the leaders of the ruling coalition.

Following the meeting, the coalition government expressed its lack of  confidence in the bench comprising the CJP, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, and Justice Muneeb Akhtar, hearing the case of the ECP’s delay in conducting elections in Punjab till October this year after initially announcing that it would hold the polls on April 30.

The ruling alliance demanded that the three-member bench should morally recuse itself from hearing the case and the CJP should hold a full court meeting to shun the impression of a “one-man show” in the apex court.

The meeting with the allied parties took place after the government attempted to clip the CJP’s powers to initiate suo motu proceedings and form benches on his own through a bill, which is now pending with President Arif Alvi for his approval to become law.

The meeting with PML-N lawmakers is taking place at a time when the top court’s bench is being disbanded and reconstituted on a regular basis in connection with the PTI’s petition against the postponement of the elections in Punjab province.

The nine-member bench has reduced to three and the government has also expressed no-trust in the current one, yet the CJP is adamant to hear the matter with the remaining two judges.

A key PML-N minister said the government would deliberate on the current political situation, upcoming elections in line with the ECP’s decision and SC proceedings as well as the role of the CJP and top court.

The minister added that the PML-N lawmakers would be informed about the party’s future strategy.

The coalition government has been accusing the superior judiciary of “bench-fixing” in crucial cases,; continuously giving “discriminatory” judgments; and handing out one interpretation of the Constitution to PTI chief Imran Khan, and another to the ruling alliance.

The PML-N-led federal government had been demanding the formation of a full court to decide the matter.

Some key leaders of the ruling party have openly criticised some senior judges, including the CJP, for their alleged impartiality.