On Thursday, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder made a virtual appearance before the Supreme Court in the significant NAB amendments case. The five-member bench, led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, and including Justices Aminuddin Khan, Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Athar Minallah, and Hasan Azhar Rizvi, is overseeing the proceedings.
Following the Supreme Court’s directive, necessary arrangements made to facilitate the PTI founder’s appearance via video link. However, the proceedings not live-streamed on the SC’s YouTube channel.
Key Arguments Presented
During the hearing, Khawaja Haris took the stand, prompting CJP Qazi Faez Isa to express his disappointment at Haris’ previous absence. The CJP questioned whether Haris had submitted his legal fee bill, to which Haris responded that he did not require a fee.
The federal government’s attorney, Makhdoom Ali Khan, explained that the delay in the case was due to questions about its admissibility, a point also noted in the Supreme Court’s final order. The CJP urged Khan to speak louder to ensure the PTI founder could hear him via video link.
Election Delay Issue Raised
In an unexpected turn, the topic of delaying general elections was brought up. CJP Isa humorously remarked to Justice Athar Minallah that they had resolved the election issue within 12 days of Minallah joining the bench.
Tuesday’s Session Recap
In Tuesday’s session, the Supreme Court had granted the PTI founder permission to use video-link facilities for his appearance in the NAB amendments case. The CJP acknowledged a letter from the PTI founder expressing his desire to appear in person. Justice Mandokhail noted that the PTI founder needed to decide whether to appear personally or through legal representation. Justice Minallah emphasized the PTI founder’s right to a personal appearance.
Review Petition by Federal Government
The federal government has filed a review petition under the SC Practice and Procedure Law, naming the Federation of Pakistan, the National Accountability Bureau, and the PTI founder as respondents. The government argues that the NAB amendments do not infringe on basic rights and urged the SC to uphold its previous decision, asserting that legislation is Parliament’s prerogative.
Supreme Court Verdict
In a 2-1 majority decision, the Supreme Court accepted the PTI founder’s petition challenging the NAB amendments introduced during the former Pakistan Democratic Movement-led government. The court reinstated corruption cases against public officials that had been dismissed under the amended laws.
