Islamabad: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa expressed frustration when several petitioners seeking a review of the Supreme Court’s 2019 verdict on the Faizabad sit-in decided to withdraw their petitions.
During the hearing, the CJP questioned why everyone seemed so apprehensive and urged the parties to explain their reasons for withdrawing the petitions in writing. He adjourned the hearing until November 1, allowing the parties time to submit their written responses.
CJP Isa, who was part of the original bench that issued the 2019 verdict, also expressed annoyance at the lack of implementation of the court’s order. He emphasized that implementing the court’s directions could have prevented similar incidents from occurring.
The Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Awan read out the Supreme Court’s decision on the Faizabad sit-in during the hearing. The AGP assured the court that they would work on implementing the 17 directions highlighted in the judgment.
Various parties, including the federal government, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), the Election Commission of Pakistan, and others, requested to withdraw their petitions. The CJP questioned their reasons for doing so and stressed the importance of standing with the truth.
The court allowed Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rasheed to hire new counsel and questioned the authority of the PTI lawyer to withdraw the party’s petition.
The court also directed petitioner Ejazul Haq to submit an affidavit expressing his reservations regarding the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) report on the Faizabad sit-in.
In a recent development, the federal government filed an application to withdraw its plea against the verdict. Pemra and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) also filed similar applications to withdraw their petitions.
This legal saga began in 2019 when several entities contested the Supreme Court’s judgment on the Faizabad sit-in case. The court’s ruling emphasized the right to assemble and protest peacefully while complying with the law and not infringing on the fundamental rights of others.
In summary, the Supreme Court is revisiting the Faizabad sit-in case due to a series of review petitions, with several parties seeking to withdraw their pleas, prompting Chief Justice Isa’s frustration and questions about their motivations. The court’s original verdict emphasized the importance of peaceful protests and compliance with the law.
