On day of 'inqilab', Supreme Court moves to protect Constitution
The Supreme Court has addressed numerous petitions directed towards the sit-ins since they began two weeks ago.
ISLAMABAD:
On the day chief agitator Tahirul Qadri says his ‘inqilab’ will take place, the Supreme Court issued an emphatic rejoinder, stating that the judges’ purpose is simply to protect the Constitution amid the ongoing unrest.
Since the protests began two weeks ago, a four-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk has heard numerous petitions from different bar associations seeking judicial redress for all perceived violations, from the obvious to the benign.
The Supreme Court has sought legal justification from both protesting parties over the location of their protest and the inconvenience they have caused to residents and commuters. A petition was even filed seeking redress for ‘cavorting youth’ that have been a feature of the protests since they began.
Throughout the protests, the Supreme Court has made it clear to all authorities that no unconstitutional action, from blatant power grabs to blocking roads, should be taken while the current political impasse persists.
“Our issue is to protect the Constitution”, Justice Mian Saqib Nisar said. He agreed with Justice Asif Saeed Khosa who said that the case is not about Constitution Avenue, the road where the sit-in are currently taking place, but about the Constitution itself.
Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk has made it clear that they have already passed an initial order in this regard.
The court was also clear to differentiate the current crisis with the popular protests of lore. PAT lawyer Ali Zafar said the history of Pakistan provides many references to popular protests.
“Even the judges were restored through protests in 2009," he said, referring to the restoration of judges in 2009, which followed another popular protest.
Justice Jawwad S Khawaja issued another rejoinder. “Let us decide which issues will be resolved through protests.”
Not obeying orders
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court Registrar told the court that the protesters did not completely clear one side of Constitution Avenue as there are still hindrances over the road. PAT admitted as much. The party’s lawyer admitted that PAT did not completely clear the road.
“I am not aware about the present situation but I will try to convince my client to vacate one side of the road," PAT lawyer Ali Zafar assured the court.
On the day chief agitator Tahirul Qadri says his ‘inqilab’ will take place, the Supreme Court issued an emphatic rejoinder, stating that the judges’ purpose is simply to protect the Constitution amid the ongoing unrest.
Since the protests began two weeks ago, a four-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk has heard numerous petitions from different bar associations seeking judicial redress for all perceived violations, from the obvious to the benign.
The Supreme Court has sought legal justification from both protesting parties over the location of their protest and the inconvenience they have caused to residents and commuters. A petition was even filed seeking redress for ‘cavorting youth’ that have been a feature of the protests since they began.
Throughout the protests, the Supreme Court has made it clear to all authorities that no unconstitutional action, from blatant power grabs to blocking roads, should be taken while the current political impasse persists.
“Our issue is to protect the Constitution”, Justice Mian Saqib Nisar said. He agreed with Justice Asif Saeed Khosa who said that the case is not about Constitution Avenue, the road where the sit-in are currently taking place, but about the Constitution itself.
Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk has made it clear that they have already passed an initial order in this regard.
The court was also clear to differentiate the current crisis with the popular protests of lore. PAT lawyer Ali Zafar said the history of Pakistan provides many references to popular protests.
“Even the judges were restored through protests in 2009," he said, referring to the restoration of judges in 2009, which followed another popular protest.
Justice Jawwad S Khawaja issued another rejoinder. “Let us decide which issues will be resolved through protests.”
Not obeying orders
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court Registrar told the court that the protesters did not completely clear one side of Constitution Avenue as there are still hindrances over the road. PAT admitted as much. The party’s lawyer admitted that PAT did not completely clear the road.
“I am not aware about the present situation but I will try to convince my client to vacate one side of the road," PAT lawyer Ali Zafar assured the court.