SC issues notice to PM Imran for attending Insaf Lawyers Forum ceremony
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The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to Prime Minister Imran Khan for attending a ceremony of the PTI-affiliated Insaf Lawyers Forum (ILF) held in Islamabad last week.
"The prime minister is the premier of the whole country, not of one particular group. Why is he misusing the state's resources?" Justice Qazi Faez Isa remarked while hearing a civil case against the Punjab government. He added that the matter was related to the Constitution and fundamental rights.
The apex court also issued notices to the attorney general, the Punjab advocate general and the in-charge of the convention centre where the ceremony was hosted. Justice Isa asked the convention centre's in-charge to inform the court whether the expenses for the ceremony were paid for.
Justice Isa added that the premier participated in the event in a personal capacity. In his remarks, the SC judge said that the premier could not align himself with one particular group. "The premier supported a particular group by attending the ceremony," he said.
Justice Isa referred the matter to Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed for the constitution of a bench.
Addressing the ILF last week, the premier had said the opposition parties' real issue with the military was that — unlike other institutions — they were unable to "control" the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) after the agency "found out" about their alleged corruption.
He also touched upon tenures of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, saying the PML-N supremo "fought with every army chief" because he wanted to turn the military into Punjab police.
Nawaz in recent weeks has levelled serious allegations of political interference against the armed forces. "They (opposition parties) control all the institutions whose job it is to keep checks and balances, except one. They know the ISI is aware of all their theft. They try to control it and that's where the conflict starts," he had said.
PM Imran had said Nawaz's real cause was not democracy but protecting his financial interests. "I am democracy," he had declared. "I was elected after bagging the most votes in Pakistan and won from five constituencies."
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Comments (71) Closed
Oct 12, 2020 12:31pm
What else is called an attempt in futility to deflect, distract and divert attention from real issues?
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Oct 12, 2020 12:34pm
Where are we heading towards? Don't we have hundreds of critical issues to settle?
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Oct 12, 2020 12:47pm
the tables have turned this time for the premier from the same judge who he filed reference against. lets see what happens next. this is getting personal now.
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Oct 12, 2020 12:47pm
Any action regarding Justice Isa wealth beyond means?
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Oct 12, 2020 12:52pm
Pakistan is suffering because of turf wars of institutions and ego wars of individuals
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Oct 12, 2020 12:56pm
What else could be expected from Qazi Faiz Isa.
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Oct 12, 2020 12:59pm
That is really awesome. Now IK will understand & see the next 3 to 4 months very hard.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:00pm
A political party get together on tax payers money is a serious offence. Poor people work hard to pay tax and our government spends that tax payers money on their political party's entertainment.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:01pm
The SC really have lost the plot
They have absolutely no accountability for their behavior - an absolute disgrace
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Oct 12, 2020 01:02pm
Is this a first kind of issue ? Was nawaz sharif and Zardari and other prime minister of past have not done this kind of activity. Why was he sleeping then ?
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Oct 12, 2020 01:04pm
@Adnan Mazher Khan, what does it mean..is he above any law..he says, i am democracy and is favouring only one party
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Oct 12, 2020 01:06pm
This is great step. Rule of law should be implemented across the board. If this continues, the untouchables will feel the heat and will mend their ways. Good going
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Oct 12, 2020 01:09pm
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad, I always found your comments very reasonable but I beg to disagree, PM must act as PM of country and if law bars him from holding personal meetings he must not. It was PTI which vehemently objected even presence of then PMLN persona even near any political gatherings
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Oct 12, 2020 01:11pm
You will not see in any democratic country a PM using poor tax payers money for his political party get together. This is shameful.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:12pm
PM is totally distracted from his prime responsibilities and the promises he made which brought hope to millions of Pakistanis. He is now in personal fight with NS & company which will seriously harm the country. To come out of present crises , PTI has to meet some of the expectations which they created during pre election campaign otherwise it will be end of IK sooner than expected.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:13pm
Time for PM to pay the price for his misdeeds.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:29pm
Due process of law and regulations severely being flouted in this Naya Pakistan Government.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:34pm
Go on Justice Isa. This is correct as he (IK) does not act like the PM of all the country.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:36pm
If it was England, the PM would have had to resign for using tax payers money for his political party forum.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:38pm
@Browngirl,
PM Modiji??
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Oct 12, 2020 01:40pm
Why do courts interfere, shouldn't they be dealing with real legal cases rather than get involved in running the Govt.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:41pm
Its not courts job to monitor what the PM has said, courts are there to administer the law. What a waste of time for the courts.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:42pm
Ahem!
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Oct 12, 2020 01:43pm
I wonder if this really is a job of the SC, they should be dealing with real cases and not interfere in Govt's business.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:44pm
He also shouldn't visit any charities as well since it's not fair on the others.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:47pm
Does this really need to come to the SC, surely there are other avenues to decide whether the PM is entitled to speak at a forum or not, surely there are parliamentary rules. This is a waste of time of SC.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:50pm
When will supreme court issue notices, jail sentences and revoke licenses of thousands of lawyers who were involved in killing patients at a major heart hospital in Lahore, shooting and beating civilians at gun points all the evidence are on hundreds of videos?
Until law is equal for all the includes Judges and Lawyers courts are infected with mega corruption too.
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Oct 12, 2020 01:51pm
Hundreds of problems & issues but all the PM does is choose another event where he can go Nawaz Sharif bashing, yet again a Nawaz this Nawaz that, just to hide is own incompetency!
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Oct 12, 2020 02:00pm
One may understand this from Justice Isa, but Imran Khan should understand he is not running political rally anymore rather he is PM of Pakistan and running government.
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Oct 12, 2020 02:07pm
Youthias don't wary since umpire ki ungli is there no one can hurt kupi taan as his foreign funding case is in election commission for last seven years but no verdict because of umpire ki ungli.
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Oct 12, 2020 02:08pm
Where was supreme court when official helicopters were being used to deliver food, where was the supreme court when families were travelling on officials trips, where was supreme court when disqualified PM was using official vehicles on GT road march, where was supreme court when disqualified PM was using CM's property to conduct his campaign.
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Oct 12, 2020 02:11pm
@Ammar , he is doing the right thing the things you PTI hypocrites promises. How dare you use state resources like NS
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Oct 12, 2020 02:13pm
So thats all you could find against him? No money laundering? No Avenfield apartments?
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Oct 12, 2020 02:13pm
Why there are political lawyers forums in the first place. There's one of pmln as well...addressing party lawyers forum is not the issue....political lawyer forums existence are the issue....
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Oct 12, 2020 02:18pm
This fascist govt needs to go quickly
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Oct 12, 2020 02:27pm
@Zahid,
That government is only in India. The whole world knows that!
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Oct 12, 2020 02:28pm
@Akram, don't worry let him finish his first term in office and we will find all of that too!
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Oct 12, 2020 02:39pm
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad, PTI leaders and our worthy prime minister are expert in diverting issues. This gov't never paid attention to the real issues of Pakistan.
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Oct 12, 2020 02:40pm
I think courts should foucs on dispensation of justice and try to lessen backlog ..
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Oct 12, 2020 03:03pm
@Wajahat Ali Khan, The whole World is able to these days. You, me and our country. Let us all think deeply and help.
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Oct 12, 2020 03:16pm
@Anti-Corruption_Pakistani, "If it was England, the PM would have had to resign..."
If a judge and his wife are being probed for corruption there then that judge would have step down until the outcome of his case. Impersonator twisting facts!
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Oct 12, 2020 03:17pm
@Shaykh, you mean Sharifs and Zardaris did that, by looting the entire nation, right?
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Oct 12, 2020 03:41pm
hahahaha drum beating
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Oct 12, 2020 04:02pm
@bhaRAT©, is blaming India or modi your answer for everything?
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Oct 12, 2020 04:09pm
Has he answered the fund trail of his wife's London properties. That violates the constitution.
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Oct 12, 2020 04:48pm
Hot water, all around the PM. Interesting turn of events.
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Oct 12, 2020 04:53pm
@Sami, He doesn't have anything beyond means.
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Oct 12, 2020 04:58pm
Isn't FBR still looking for the money trail and a series of connected financial transactions and exchanges, especially when revealed during the investigation of a crime in purchasing London properties
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Oct 12, 2020 05:27pm
@Ammar , exactly.
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Oct 12, 2020 05:50pm
Money trial!
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Oct 12, 2020 05:58pm
PMIK will say the Forum ceremony was for the national interest.
and the case is being closed...
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Oct 12, 2020 06:03pm
Imran Khan as in any democracy needs to answer for this.
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Oct 12, 2020 06:31pm
Thank you for reminding them, I hope others learn the message also.
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Oct 12, 2020 06:41pm
As personal capacity if PM can attend PTI meetings, why not lawyers meeting?
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Oct 12, 2020 06:45pm
We all violate law. Do we really want law to prevail? Can we afford this? Especially rich and influential.
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Oct 12, 2020 07:25pm
Justice Isa is a role model for us
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Oct 12, 2020 07:25pm
Using public resources for political campaigns is a case of misuse or authority and corruption. SC raised very valid questions and IK must answer.
Is opposition allowed to use the public buildings for political purposes?
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Oct 12, 2020 07:46pm
president of pakistan was also seen sitting in governor house, doing deals with investors
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Oct 12, 2020 07:52pm
@ashar, PTI proving tirelessly that we voted wrong.
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Oct 12, 2020 07:56pm
Now we need a ticker to count how quickly PTI deflates itself.
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Oct 12, 2020 09:17pm
Selected PM, pls, you are educated, pls fight a normal election and win..
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Oct 12, 2020 10:22pm
@bhaRAT©, very correct.
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Oct 12, 2020 11:04pm
PM cannot hold a meeting?
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Oct 12, 2020 11:16pm
@Asif, No he is not above the law. He is not Nawaz Sharif, so how ca he be?
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Oct 12, 2020 11:16pm
@Browngirl, Really? Which PM? Modi?
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Oct 13, 2020 12:54am
@ashar, still waiting for Prime Minister house to become University
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Oct 13, 2020 02:52am
Well done Mr Justice Isa.
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Oct 13, 2020 02:55am
@Zahid, I fully concur.
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Oct 13, 2020 03:54am
JUSTCE ISA HAS A VALID POINT , PM must answer why he was attending a private forum on public expense, this is not JK own money and resources he us wasting.
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Oct 13, 2020 07:58am
While I admire Justice Isa for his courage, I personally think the supreme court should stay out of issuing such notices. If the PM has misused public funds someone should sue him and the courts should just let the lawsuit progress through the normal legal process.
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Oct 13, 2020 09:08pm
@Adnan Mazher Khan, Expect nothing more, just keep them piling up for the next great leader of Pakistan!
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