Dual offices case: Presidency finally kills political buzz, court told
Federation’s counsel insists president does not need to step down as PPP co-chairman.
The counsel argued that the president is co-chairman of PPP which is “an association, not a political party since it is not registered with ECP”. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
LAHORE:
In one fell swoop the presidency has gone from being a hive of incessant political activity to a sedate apolitical office, the court was told on Wednesday. Thus ends the era witnessed over the course of the last five years.
The revelation was submitted in writing by the counsel for the federation, Advocate Wasim Sajjad, on Wednesday during a Lahore High Court (LHC) hearing of a contempt of court petition over the dual offices held by the president.
A five-member bench, headed by LHC Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, welcomed the president’s decision to halt political activities in the presidency. The bench’s content was short-lived, however, since the president was still not willing to relinquish his co-chairmanship of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in compliance with a LHC order issued on May 12, 2011.
During Wednesday’s proceedings, the chief justice asked the federation’s counsel when the president would resign from the political office he held. To which, Advocate Sajjad replied that the president had no reason to do so since he was not the office bearer of any political party.
The counsel argued that the president is co-chairman of PPP which was “an association, not a political party since it is not registered with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)”. He added the Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) is registered with the ECP, but headed by PPPP leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim.
When further cross-questioned by the bench about the defence’s argument, Advocate Sajjad said that even though PPP is not functional at this point, it might be in the upcoming polls.
The five-member bench also inquired about the president’s political meetings in Karachi. To which, the federation’s counsel argued that barring the President House in Islamabad, all other houses owned by the president were his private residences.
The bench decided to give the counsel till the next date of hearing to inform the court about the status of the president’s political office and subsequently adjourned the hearing till February 15.
Earlier, the chief justice was interrupted by the federation’s counsel when the written order on political activity at the Presidency was being submitted on behalf of the president. The federation’s counsel contended that the written statement be submitted on behalf of the federation.
Advocate Sajjad also pleaded to the bench against contempt of the court charges against the president, adding that the issue had been resolved since there will no longer be any political activity at the presidency.
The counsel also took a swipe at the media for misreporting facts about the president’s engagements.
“If some ministers call on the president then it is published that the PPP core committee meeting was held in the presidency,” he said.
Advocates A K Dogar and Azhar Siddique, who are the petitioner’s counsel, rejected the written statement submitted by the federation, arguing that the federal government was delaying the matter intentionally by involving the court.
Dogar argued that the president is willfully disobeying judicial orders, adding that President Zardari had not undertaken in his written reply that he would leave the political office of PPP’s co-chairmanship.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 7th, 2013.
In one fell swoop the presidency has gone from being a hive of incessant political activity to a sedate apolitical office, the court was told on Wednesday. Thus ends the era witnessed over the course of the last five years.
The revelation was submitted in writing by the counsel for the federation, Advocate Wasim Sajjad, on Wednesday during a Lahore High Court (LHC) hearing of a contempt of court petition over the dual offices held by the president.
A five-member bench, headed by LHC Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, welcomed the president’s decision to halt political activities in the presidency. The bench’s content was short-lived, however, since the president was still not willing to relinquish his co-chairmanship of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in compliance with a LHC order issued on May 12, 2011.
During Wednesday’s proceedings, the chief justice asked the federation’s counsel when the president would resign from the political office he held. To which, Advocate Sajjad replied that the president had no reason to do so since he was not the office bearer of any political party.
The counsel argued that the president is co-chairman of PPP which was “an association, not a political party since it is not registered with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)”. He added the Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) is registered with the ECP, but headed by PPPP leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim.
When further cross-questioned by the bench about the defence’s argument, Advocate Sajjad said that even though PPP is not functional at this point, it might be in the upcoming polls.
The five-member bench also inquired about the president’s political meetings in Karachi. To which, the federation’s counsel argued that barring the President House in Islamabad, all other houses owned by the president were his private residences.
The bench decided to give the counsel till the next date of hearing to inform the court about the status of the president’s political office and subsequently adjourned the hearing till February 15.
Earlier, the chief justice was interrupted by the federation’s counsel when the written order on political activity at the Presidency was being submitted on behalf of the president. The federation’s counsel contended that the written statement be submitted on behalf of the federation.
Advocate Sajjad also pleaded to the bench against contempt of the court charges against the president, adding that the issue had been resolved since there will no longer be any political activity at the presidency.
The counsel also took a swipe at the media for misreporting facts about the president’s engagements.
“If some ministers call on the president then it is published that the PPP core committee meeting was held in the presidency,” he said.
Advocates A K Dogar and Azhar Siddique, who are the petitioner’s counsel, rejected the written statement submitted by the federation, arguing that the federal government was delaying the matter intentionally by involving the court.
Dogar argued that the president is willfully disobeying judicial orders, adding that President Zardari had not undertaken in his written reply that he would leave the political office of PPP’s co-chairmanship.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 7th, 2013.