Faizabad sit-in: SC rejects govt’s fact-finding committee

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has rejected the government’s fact-finding committee, formed to ensure compliance with the top court’s verdict on the 2017 sit-in by the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) at Faizabad.

On Wednesday, a three-member bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Athar Minallah took up a set of review petitions against the apex court’s Feb 6, 2019 judgement in Faizabad sit-in case.

The federal government constituted fact-finding committee on Friday to determine those responsible for the Faizabad sit-in. The top court in its detailed four-page written order invited all the concerned parties to clarify their positions in the Faizabad sit-in case.

Media was coerced during Faizabad dharna: Absar Alam

At the outset of the hearing today, Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan read out the order of the previous hearing.

“The apex court wants to know who was behind the Faizabad sit-in,” Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa remarked, expressing annoyance over the decision not being implemented since its issuance on February 6, 2019.

He also ordered the Attorney-General for Pakistan, Mansoor Usman Awan, to form a new inquiry commission soon pertaining to the implementation of the apex court verdict in the Faizabad sit-in case.

Another notable event of the proceedings was Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) ex-chairman’s statement that former ISI chief Faiz Hameed pressurised PEMRA during Faizabad sit-in.

On November 8, 2017, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) organised a sit-in at Faizabad interchange against the amendments in the Election Bill 2017, changing the word oath to declaration.

The protesters demanded the resignation of Minister for Law and Justice Zahid Hamid to “protect the identity of the country”.

The protestors achieved their objective as the Pakistani law minister Zahid Hamid stepped down from his position on November 27, 2017 culminating in an end to the protests that continued for 20 days without harm. – INP.