The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) adjourned the hearing of the case of alleged interference in the work of the judiciary for an indefinite period. Lawyers from three bar associations completed the arguments.
During the hearing, various remarks were exchanged between the Chief Justice and Justice Athar Minallah.
Justice Athar Minallah remarked, 'Lies have been told for 67 years; interference by the Supreme Court (SC) in 2017 and 2018 remained a problem. We are all answerable to the people; let the truth come out.' The Chief Justice remarked that whoever feels collusion should not sit here.
'There are also our heroes who refused to accept the oppressor,' the CJP said. The President of the Supreme Court Bar Association questioned the justification of sitting on the bench and simultaneously admitting connivance.
The Chief Justice of Pakistan also remarked: 'If there was connivance, then you have no reason to sit here.' To this, Justice Athar Minallah clarified that the connivance statement was not given by him but by the Attorney General.
'There is a bombardment on social media,' Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa remarked. Justice Athar Minallah further remarked that the action of November 3, 2007, was the biggest contempt of court, but no one was punished for it. Justice Athar Minallah remarked on what anybody could expect from a district judge to raise his voice against interference.
The Supreme Court said the next date of the case will be given subject to the availability of the bench. The Supreme Court adjourned the hearing of the case for an indefinite period.
Athar Minallah remarked: 'A high court has said that the Constitution has been sabotaged. The intervention did not stop with the Faizabad sit-in case or with anything else. The interference in the affairs of the judiciary is an ongoing process and trend.'
Justice Athar Minallah inquired what should be done to create such fear that the meddling in judicial affairs should stop. 'The Attorney General himself has admitted what was happening in 2018,' Justice Athar Minallah said.
'We all have reached high courts; we should be honest,' Justice Athar Minallah remarked. Justice Athar Minallah remarked all high courts have said more serious things than the letter of six judges.”
