(C)overt criticism: PPP to pursue open defiance of judiciary
The Pakistan Peoples Party is all set to launch an overt offensive against the judiciary with the help of the legal fraternity.
Following the influx of petitions challenging the National Assembly speaker’s ruling on the contempt of court case against Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, the PPP has decided to win the support of lawyers’ associations to exert pressure on the supreme court, The Express Tribune has learnt reliably through some of the PPP leaders.
Sources said the party’s top leadership has asked its legal team to organise a “grand lawyers’ convention” in Lahore, at which “a clear message will be given to the judiciary to stay within its limits and tackle the petitions seeking the premier’s disqualification carefully.”
After NA Speaker Fehmida Mirza acquitted the premier in her ruling, Gilani has been holding regular meetings with the lawyers’ community and political leaders. It is said that Gilani himself will look into the matter and has been assured of support from the legal fraternity. The PPP leadership, the sources said, was expecting that the Supreme Court would hear the petitions of the PML-N and the PTI against the speaker’s ruling on June 8.
The convention will mean that the PPP is no mood to deliver its intended message in a subtle way.
Punjab Governor Sardar Latif Khan Khosa said that the party had succeeded in mustering support of the office-bearers of the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) and the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA).
Latif Khosa, while talking to The Express Tribune here at the Governor’s House, confirmed that the party was planning a convention which he hoped would be “attended by thousands of lawyers.”
He said that if the court did entertain applications against the speaker’s ruling, then the PPP would voice its resentment in legal and political quarters. “I hope the convention will give a meaningful message to the judiciary.” Gilani’s political adviser Fawad Hussain Chaudhry said that the convention would be held in Lahore, which, according to the PPP’s assessment, would be attended by around 6,000 lawyers.
SCBA President Yasin Azad said only the SCBA or the PBC could call a lawyers’ convention at the national level. He added that the PPP lawyers’ forum could call a convention of their own, but that if the platform was used against the judiciary then the move would backfire.
On the other hand, a delegation of the PBC, led by its Vice-Chairman Akhtar Hussain, called on Gilani at the PM House in Islamabad on Thursday.
The delegation reiterated its commitment to democracy and said that every institution needed to work within the parameters defined in the constitution to avoid confrontation with one another.
On the occasion, the prime minister announced a grant of Rs100 million for the establishment of a Benevolent Fund Scheme for lawyers. He also announced Rs0.5 million each for two ailing lawyers suffering from cancer.
Sources also said that a resolution might also be passed by the lawyers’ convention in which it would demand of the supreme court to entertain a petition seeking Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s disqualification on grounds of his being elected as an MPA from two constituencies simultaneously.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 2nd, 2012.
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@AnisAqeel: What a wishful thinking. (Kia Masoomana khawahish hai). In order to make it through, please liaise with your political party to include your suggertion in their next election manifesto; - and then see the result.
@Mirza: Asghar Khan case already on anvil - ZAB case got legal deficiency to be resolved by the litigator - BB case to be investigated and built-up for further processing (this ball is in the court of administrtion) - Suleman Taseer murder case already decided, and Admn. has to implement it ....
Anything else, sir ?
Judge Rafaat used the following words for Hosni Mubarak’s government and the Tahrir Square uprising:
Mr. Mubarak’s rule was “30 years of intense darkness — black, black, black, the blackness of a chilly winter night.”
Commenting on state functionaries he said “committed the gravest sins, tyranny and corruption without accountability or oversight as their consciences died, their feelings became numb and their hearts in their chests turned blind.”
“The peaceful sons of the homeland came out of every deep ravine with all the pain they experienced from injustice, heartbreak, humiliation and oppression,” he added. “Bearing the burden of their suffering on their shoulders, they moved peacefully toward Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt’s capital, demanding only justice, freedom and democracy.”
@Mirza
Good idea, it will isolate undemocratic forces, but what to do of the general public?
The best part of the British Raj was rule of law. In 1947 everybody got Azadi from that. Jis ki lathi us ki bhains.
Democracy is the best REVENGE... It has broken the back of the people of Pakistan, what to say of the constitution...
@YP Toronto: When unfavourable days are ahead, all sorts of LESSONS would go un-learnt.
I hope our rulers learn some lessons from recent end of some of the Arab spring rulers including sentencing of Hosni Mubarak of Egypt.
Giving grant of 100 million from tax payers money to buy lawyers!good luck with this kind of democracy!
It would be prudent if the ruling coalition passes a resolution in each of the provincial, NA and Senate to show confidence in the Speaker and the supremacy of constitution and parliament. The resolution should also ask the PCO CJ to decide Asghar Khan, ZAB, BB and Taseer murder cases and Balochistan killing. I am sure that the ruling coalition can get these resolutions easily passed in every elected assembly except it would be close in Punjab. This would highlight and isolate the opponents of democracy and parliament.