Pakistan's Punjab Bar Council has demanded the sacking of a Supreme Court judge for "ridiculing" the armed forces and casting "serious aspersions" on the intelligence agencies, especially the ISI, saying his remarks in a judgement strengthened India's narrative.
Justice Qazi Faez Isa in his February 6 judgment on the Faizabad (Islamabad) sit-in by the radical Islamists said the Constitution emphatically prohibits members of the armed forces from engaging in any kind of political activity, which includes supporting a political party, faction or individual.
"The Government of Pakistan through the Ministry of Defence and the respective Chiefs of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force are directed to initiate action against the personnel under their command who are found to have violated their oath. There is no accountability of the intelligence agencies," the bench comprising Justice Qazi Isa and Justice Mushir Alam ruled in February.
The Punjab Bar Council (PBC) said Justice Isa ridiculed the armed forces.
"Justice Isa without any evidence, factual basis or determination, ridiculed the armed forces and cast serious aspersions on the intelligence agencies, strengthening the narrative of India," the PBC said in a resolution against the judge
"Therefore, we demand that appropriate proceedings against Justice Isa may be initiated under Article 209 (5) of the Constitution for his removal as judge of the Supreme Court," it said.
The resolution also said that Justice Shaukat Siddiqui of the Islamabad High Court had rightly been removed by the Supreme Judicial Council for targeting the intelligence agencies and transgressing the limits prescribed under the law, the Constitution and the code of conduct meant for the superior judiciary.
The PCB said the Imran Khan government was justified in filing an application for review against the Faizabad case judgment by Justice Isa.
"In the judgment the towering principles of law were completely mutilated," it said.
The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party on Tuesday submitted a petition to the Supreme Court for review of the apex court's February 6 judgment given on the sit-in staged by hardline Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) at Rawalpindi's Faizabad area in November 2017.
During the 20-day long protest, daily life in Islamabad was disrupted when protesters belonging to the TLP, Tehreek-i-Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLYRA), the Tehreek-i-Khatm-i-Nabuwwat and the Pakistan Sunni Tehreek occupied the Faizabad Interchange which connects Rawalpindi and Islamabad, the busiest roads in the twin cities.
According to the petition, the judgment "suffers from defects" and "needs to be reviewed to avoid injustice".
Several experts were of the view that Prime Minister Khan was supported by the country's powerful army in the last year's general election.
Pakistan's powerful military has ruled the country through various coups for nearly half of the country's history since independence in 1947. The military plays an important role in the country's decision making.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
