ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial has said that he does not care what is going on social media, it is our responsibility to abide by the Constitution andit is a 24-hour court, no one needs to point a finger at the Supreme Court.
During the hearing on the Presidential Reference filed in the Supreme Court for interpretation of Article 63A, the Chief Justice of Pakistan remarked that violation of the Constitution is not a trivial matter. Some people immediately go to Article 6. What is the result of the violation, should anyone laugh at the violation of the Constitution by ringing the bell or should he suffer the consequences of the violation of the Constitution?
The Chief Justice of Pakistan said that we are the guardians of the Constitution, this is a court that works 24 hours a day. No one needs to point a finger at the Supreme Court, it does not care what is going on social media.
The Chief Justice remarked that when 10 to 15 thousand people gathered and started criticizing the court decisions then why should we announce the decisions? Why is the court involved in political debate? Political leaders are expected to defend court decisions in public, and it is our responsibility to uphold and protect the constitution.
During the hearing, Advocate General Islamabad said that deviation from the party is a violation of the oath of the Member Assembly. Justice Jamal Mandokhel said that if there is lifelong disqualification under Article 63A then what is the significance of Article 95? Advocate General Islamabad replied that the question of Article 95 was not yet before the court.
BNP Mengal’s lawyer Mustafa Ramday argued that the president had asked the court in the reference to rewrite the constitution, adding that Article 63A was very clear.
Justice Muneeb Akhtar said that not voting in the constitutional amendment and voting for the opposition party are two different things. Resigning to vote for the opposition party is more credible.
Lawyer Mustafa Ramday said that how can such a drastic step like resignation be the only solution? Obedience to the party leader is tantamount to slavery.
Justice Muneeb Akhtar said that by saying such a thing you are denying parliamentary democracy. If any member disagrees with the decision of the parliamentary party then he should resign.
