• PTI leader calls SC detailed order more of a ‘political decision’, says it’s not judges’ job to ‘bring conflicts into politics’
• Interior minister says all those mentioned in apex court order will be tried under Article 6

LAHORE / ISLAMABAD: Following the Supreme Court’s detailed judgement on the former National Assembly deputy speaker’s controversial ruling of April 3 on the no-trust move against Imran Khan, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry called it more of a ‘political decision’, and took an unprecedented dig at the establishment, saying it was becoming more prone to and regularly taking such political decisions.

On the other hand, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah announced that action under Article 6 — that dealt with treason — would be taken against those found by the SC to have ‘defrauded’ the Constitution and breached a ‘sacred trust’ through the controversial ruling.

Speaking to the media in Lahore on Thursday, former minister Chaudhry said the Supreme Court had itself decided not to get into a debate on the cipher from the Pakistan mission in the US that was allegedly behind sending Imran Khan’s previous government home. He demanded a commission be constituted to investigate all the matters surrounding the document and toppling of the PTI government.

He stressed the apex court should have investigated all the documents, including the cipher, that were in the possession of the chief justice of Pakistan in a sealed packet — sent to him with the previous cabinet’s approval. “The CJP should have shared the cipher with the judges, who wrote in the judgement that the documents were not presented to them. The attorney generals continued requesting for discussing the cipher, but the judges refused,” he added.

He further said the judges could have also sought the National Security Commi­ttee meeting minutes. “People know well why the Supreme Court wanted to observe restraint and avoid a debate on the cipher,” Mr Chaudhry observed, adding former US national security adviser John Bolton had admitted the US conducted “regime change” operations in the world.

Referring to the additional note of one of the judges who wrote Thursday’s detailed order, Mr Chaudhry said it had no legal value, but the opinion revealed no one could be spared a trial under Article 6. “There will be more necks to try and hang than the rope available,” he remarked.

Stressing that it was not judges’ job to bring any conflicts into politics, Mr Chaudhry observed it would be the worst thing if they were on a mission to do so. “Let political decisions be taken in the political arena,” he suggested.

The PTI leader also questioned the timing of the detailed judgement – just three days before the by-elections in Punjab – which could have been delayed as it had been for four months.

He confidently claimed the PTI would form the next government with a two-thirds majority and get this controversial Supreme Court judgement quashed. A “properly represented parliament” would decide whether Article 6 should be applied on a violation of Article 69. “What is the punishment if a judge violates the Constitution,” he questioned.

He further said the nation was now ready for revolution and the powers that be needed to decide whether they would allow it through votes or want to head towards a Sri Lanka-like situation.

Mr Chaudhry said PTI chairman Imran Khan would conclude the Punjab by-election campaign by addressing mass public meetings in the four constituencies of Lahore on Friday (today).

‘Fraud with Constitution’

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah claimed the Supreme Court judgement setting aside former deputy speaker Qasim Suri’s ruling clearly held that President Arif Alvi, former PM Khan, former speaker and deputy speaker and former law minister violated the Constitution and breached a sacred trust. He said there was no bigger crime than defrauding the Constitution, adding that work on trying all the characters mentioned in the order under Article 6 had already started.

“Action must be taken when a serious charge of isolating the Constitution is proven against anybody.”

Asked about the views of the PML-N’s coalition partners on the matter, the minister said the issue would be discussed in a cabinet meeting on Friday (today). “In my personal view, however, the federal government and parliament have no room to avoid action.”

He demanded President Alvi step down after the apex court verdict. He also said the National Assembly speaker was now bound to submit disqualification references against lawmakers, who violated the Constitution, to the Election Commission of Pakistan. “The ECP then must de-seat those lawmakers.”

To a question whether former premier Imran could be arrested in the days to come, the minister said the cabinet must take a decision about it and “government departments will act according”. He further claimed it had been proved Mr Khan put the country’s interests at stake for power and personal gains.

Meanwhile, Rana Sana had on Tuesday announced a string of questionable measures of police cases, arrests, blocking of identity cards and passports of those PTI supporters who heckled anyone, especially PML-N workers and leaders. In a series of tweets, he had asked people to make videos instead of taking law into their hands if they encountered any “crazy” followers of former premier Imran Khan in public, and either post it to the FIA’s cyber crime director, send it through Whatsapp or upload it on social media tagging the FIA. This, he claimed, was to ensure citizens’ right to freedom of movement under Article 15.

In a related development, PML-N Senator Dr Afnanullah Khan submitted a resolution with the Senate Secretariat urging the government initiate impeachment proceedings against President Alvi, reported Dawn.com.

“The Supreme Court in its recent historic detailed judgement outlines that Imran Khan, Arif Alvi, Qasim Suri and Fawad Chaudhry blatantly transgressed the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan when they didn’t allow the voting on the no-confidence motion,” the resolution, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, read.

It added there must be “severe consequences for this blatant transgression and the law must take its course”. Therefore, the Senate should immediately initiate Article 6 proceedings against the officials, the resolution added.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2022