Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa has called for an immediate hearing of revision petitions concerning reserved seats, stressing that constitutional rights must not be compromised for judicial convenience.
In a recent session of the Supreme Court's Practice and Procedures Committee, Chief Justice Isa chaired discussions on the scheduling of review applications.
Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Muneeb Akhtar voiced concerns about the availability of judges due to summer vacations and international travels. They suggested that only the judges who initially heard the case should address the revision.
Chief Justice Isa vehemently opposed this view, arguing that constitutional mandates should take precedence over procedural delays.~
He criticised the majority's decision to postpone the hearings, emphasizing that failing to address the review promptly would violate constitutional rights and render the case ineffective.
The top judge proposed cancelling the judicial recess if necessary to ensure a timely review.
Justice Akhtar defended the established rules for judicial holidays, stating that they cannot be altered once set. Nonetheless, Chief Justice Isa maintained that urgent cases like this one require immediate attention to prevent injustice.
The dispute arose following a Supreme Court decision allocating specific reserved seats to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The government, opposing this decision, has filed a review petition.
This petition, submitted by members of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)—Huma Akhtar Chughtai, Mehjabeen Abbasi, and Syeda Amna Batool—contends that the seat allocation process was flawed and undermines fairness. The petition also names the Sunni Ittehad Council and the Election Commission of Pakistan, alleging procedural lapses.
The PML-N petition argues that the allocation to PTI did not follow proper procedures, and seeks a stay on the July 12 decision until a thorough review can be conducted. The matter is expected to be addressed by relevant judicial and electoral authorities in the near future.
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