Media watch: the Supreme Court loses its patience

The arrests of Adnan Khawaja and Imtiaz Ahmed from the apex courtroom serve as a wake-up call to the government.

Renewed strident tone

The Supreme Court has belied the speculation that it had been changing course, under some compulsions, and, therefore, playing down the need for implementation of its orders relating to the NRO; and has emphatically observed that the verdict has to be obeyed. The relative silence that had, for a period of time, marked its proceedings, particularly about this shameful ordinance, led to the conclusion by conspiracy theorists that since it had a direct bearing on Mr Zardari, the court was soft-pedalling it. (nation.com.pk)

Out of patience

Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry has demonstrated growing loss of patience with the government's failure to follow orders on the NRO and its blatant violations of Supreme Court rulings. It has seemed at times that, like a fighter luring on a bull, the executive was perhaps deliberately goading the apex court -- from time to time waving a red cloth before it. The court it seems has risen to the challenge. (thenews.com.pk)

NRO travails

Another week and another round in the judiciary-executive clash is unfolding as we speak. The latest revolves around the selection of erstwhile NRO beneficiaries for government-appointed posts and around the leadership of the National Accountability Bureau. By now it is relatively clear the government has little interest in implementing the NRO judgment. The modus operandi of the government, to the extent that can be discerned, is self-defeating and, from the perspective of the country, is damaging to the interests of the people, who more than ever need the government to focus on doing its job. (dawn.com)

A wake-up call for the government

The arrests of former Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDC) managing director Adnan Khawaja and former head of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) Brigadier (retd) Imtiaz Ahmed from the apex courtroom should serve as a wake-up call to the government. The arrests were made because both Khawaja and Brigadier Imtiaz had been convicted in corruption cases but were later pardoned under the National Reconciliation Ordinance. (dailytimes.com.pk)