Senator Raza Rabbani on Tuesday excoriated recently appointed Attorney-General for Pakistan (AGP) Barrister Shehzad Ata Elahi for “daring” to explain the actions of the House in a letter explaining the chief justice’s “honest prime minister” remarks.

Days after an uproar in the Senate over the purported remarks of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, the government’s top law officer had clarified that no adverse remarks were made by the CJP about the honesty of prime ministers in the country.

“I (AGP) was personally present in the court during these proceedings and can confirm that no such observation was made,” AGP Elahi had said in a two-page letter he wrote to Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar.

The letter, which was released to the media, said: “In fact, [the] CJP had recalled the regret expressed by the then chief justice of Pakistan (Justice Nasim Hassan Shah) in the 1993 case of Muhammad Nawaz Sharif versus President of Pakistan, about the Supreme Court’s proceedings ahead…[of] the general elections instead of restoring the National Assembly in 1988.

“[The] CJP went on to comment on the then deposed prime minister (Muhammad Khan Junejo) being a very good and independent man who was removed through Article 58(2)(b) of the constitution,” the letter explained.

An incorrect version of certain observations by CJP Bandial was circulated on social media platforms, the letter emphasised.

The letter came against the backdrop of last Friday’s Senate proceedings when Irfan ul Haque Siddiqui of PML-N in his harsh critique said that the country’s top judge had no right to declare prime ministers — from Liaquat Ali Khan to Imran Khan — dishonest.

During proceedings of the Senate session today, the PPP leader said the AGP had the privilege to come and attend sessions of both Houses.

“He is not a member of this House and cannot control the proceedings of this House,” Rabbani said. “The AGP cannot issue clarifications over the proceedings of this House nor can he talk about them.”

Rabbani said when the courts “attack” parliament, even then the attorney general should stand and defend parliament.

“Who gave the attorney general the right to comment?” he said, adding that if an explanation had to be given, it should have been through the apex court registrar.

The former Senate chairman said AGP Elahi clearly had reservations. “The letter written by him should be presented in front of the House for the record.”

‘Misconstrued’

When he spoke, Law Minister Tarar criticised social media for misconstruing and taking out of context CJP Bandial’s “honest prime minister” remarks.

He clarified that the attorney general did not issue a clarification rather it was their version.

“The attorney general wrote to me. I brought it before the house because I was entrusted with it,” Tarar said. “The attorney general said he was present in court himself.”

The law minister said that the talk pertaining to “only one prime minister of the country being honest” did not take place. “There was talk of dissolving the assemblies of 1993 and 1988. Social media reports are not correct.”

Tarar said the remarks were “misinterpreted”.

The minister confirmed that AGP Elahi wrote a letter to him, stating that the remarks were reported out of context.

“The attorney general said he was present in the court during the hearing and could confirm that the chief justice in his remarks did not say that only one prime minister was honest in the history of Pakistan,” Tarar reiterated.

Commenting on the prevailing political situation, Tarar criticised PTI for deliberately leaving the assemblies and not participating in the law-making process.

On the other hand, Senate opposition leader, Dr Shahzad Waseem once again asked the government to announce the election schedule for the Punjab Assembly polls.

He criticised the government for using “delaying tactics” for announcing polls.

The leader of the opposition also denounced the government for increasing the prices of essential items for daily use, especially gas prices.