Sacrificing few judges for judiciary's dignity makes no difference: Fazl

PDM chief Fazl announces end to Islamabad sit-in, says 'we will come back if necessary'

ISLAMABAD:

The chief of the Pakistan Democratic Movement coalition, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, has said that “sacrificing some judges” is necessary for the dignity of the judiciary and that it would make no difference.

"No decision of the country will be made in the building in front of us. We want to restore the dignity of Pakistan's judiciary," the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader said while addressing protesters at a sit-in in Islamabad on Monday.

Speaking to a massive crowd gathered to protest against the conduct of judges of the superior judiciary, especially Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umra Ata Bandial, the JUI-F chief said that the country’s decisions will now be made by the people, adding that "biased" judges have hurt their own reputation.

"People sitting on esteemed chairs cannot be allowed to disrespect Parliament and the people. If politicians are insulted, then our hammer is heavier than yours," he said.

"We reject your bullying. It is totally unacceptable to us," he added.

رکاوٹیں ہٹا کر عوام کا جم غفیر سپریم کورٹ کی جانب روانہ#مولانا_آرہا_ہے pic.twitter.com/T95lNXs1nj

— Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam Pakistan (@juipakofficial) May 15, 2023

Fazl had arrived at the venue of the protest demonstration alongside Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Chief Organiser and Vice President Maryam Nawaz earlier in the evening.

The ruling PDM alliance had announced staging the sit-in right outside the Supreme Court building in the federal capital to protest against what they describe as the judiciary’s preferential treatment of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan.

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At the end of his address, the PDM chief announced the end of the sit-in, saying that “if necessary, we will come back to Islamabad”.

As soon as the sit-in ended, workers of various political parties, including the JUI-F, returned to their homes.

Violence between JUI-F volunteers and workers was reported earlier in the day, while a banner with a picture of the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) and Imran Khan was reportedly burnt at the venue by a worker of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

On Sunday, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, who is also the head of the ruling coalition PDM, had appealed to the entire nation to participate in a peaceful protest outside the apex court.

The ruling coalition and a section of the superior judiciary led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial have been at odds since February this year when the top court started suo motu proceedings on the delay in the announcement of dates for elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) provinces.

However, this acrimony intensified when a three-judge bench led by CJP Bandial on May 11 declared the arrest of the PTI chairman from inside the IHC illegal and ordered his immediate arrest.