PTI Vice President Fawad Chaudhry says contempt of court petition would be filed against Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senior Vice-President Fawad Chaudhry has announced filing a contempt of court petition against Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb.
Chaudhry's announcement follows Aurangzeb's comments regarding the election delay case being heard by the Supreme Court under Article 184(3) of the Constitution. In her remarks, the information minister had questioned the validity of a circular issued by the apex court's registrar and described it as the "decision of one person."
In the circular, the top court had stated that it would continue hearing the case after the recusal of Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail from the proceedings — a second recusal after Justice Amin-Ud-Din Khan who had quitted the bench hearing the case just moments before the proceedings on March 30, citing an order from a three-member bench headed by Justice Qazi Faez Isa.
On March 29, the Justice Isa-led bench had ordered the postponement of cases being heard under Article 184(3) of the Constitution till the amendments are made in the Supreme Court Rules 1980 regarding the discretionary powers of the chief justice to form benches.
Fawad also criticised Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif for threatening the judiciary of Pakistan and questioning the validity of an upcoming verdict by a three-member bench.
"NawazSharifis browbeating and threatening the judiciary of Pakistan," the PTI leader said while briefing the media after a meeting of the party's core committee on Friday.
He slammed Nawaz Sharif who called into question the validity and legitimacy of the [upcoming] verdict by the three-member bench.
Sharif, addressing a press conference in London on Friday, had pointed out that two judges on the bench had previously decided against him. He had questioned how a verdict delivered by this bench could be accepted when the bench itself was unacceptable to him.
Reacting to Nawaz Sharif's refusal of a verdict from three Supreme Court judges, Fawad asked the PML-N leader to also refuse the top court's verdict by three judges which became the foundation of the Shehbaz Sharif government.
Fawad Chaudhry said that his party favours and believes in negotiations with other political parties. However, he maintained that it takes two to clap. "If any serious negotiations are held, we will go forward," he added.
On March 28, PTI chief Imran Khan — going against his traditional stance against sitting with political parties in the incumbent government — had said that he was ready to partake in all kinds of all-parties conferences (APC) for “upholding the Constitution”.
Fawad further stated, "if the situation in Pakistan is to be set in order, then we will have to think beyond victimisation." He also noted that his party has no objection to Nawaz Sharif's return to Pakistan.
He said that a recent amendment is aimed at curtailing the powers of the Chief Justice of Pakistan. The PTI leader was referring to the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2023 which the Senate approved on March 30 to limit the chief justice of Pakistan’s discretionary powers to take suo motu notice.
The PTI leader said that the powers of the caretaker governments will expire at the end of April 30.