CJP grills PTI lawyer: demands proof of establishment’s pressure

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa has asked the PTI lawyer for evidence to support the claim that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was facing pressure from the establishment.

The Suprem Court bench, headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa resumed hearing on PTI regarding the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) appeal against the Peshawar High Court (PHC) verdict restoring the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) electoral symbol — bat.

The bench included Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Musrat Hilali.

The proceedings are being broadcasted live on the SC’s website and YouTube.

PTI lawyers Hamid Ali Khan and Ali Zafar came to the rostrum to proceed with the hearing.

The Chief Justice emphasized that merely making accusations on social media or in the media is insufficient.

He challenged the PTI lawyer to substantiate the allegations of establishment interference, questioning why the establishment would exert pressure on the Election Commission.

Justice Qazi Faez stated that the court cannot intervene in the affairs of constitutional institutions. He urged the PTI to specify the source of the alleged malice when making accusations. He remarked that it seems the focus is on politics rather than democracy.

The CJP questioned whether there was democracy within the party or not. Election transparency is rarely recognized in Pakistan, he added. 

Justice Mazhar remarked that the Election Commission of Pakistan did not take suo motu, but 15 complaints were filed with it. “If you talk about level playing field, then it should be practised in your party also,” he added.

He also said that the PTI had made its constitution so strict that questions were being raised over it. “If you had conducted the election according to your constitution, it would have been the most transparent election of Pakistan,” Justice Mazhar remarked.

Read more: PML-N’s Rana Mehmood-ul-Hassan joins PPP