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Rs 15.00 | Vol XIV No 34 I 8 Pages I Islamabad Edition
CJP SAYS WILL NOT ALLOW ARMY TO TAKE UNCONSTITUTIONAL STEPS NA passes anti-money laundering bill to MILITARY TRIALS OF CIVILIANS
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ISLAMABAD
Staff RepoRt
HIEF Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial on Thursday said the armed forces would not be allowed to take “unconstitutional steps” as a six-judge bench indefinitely adjourned the hearing on a set of petitions challenging the trials of civilians in military courts. The bench, headed by the top judge, comprised Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Ayesha A. Malik. A day earlier, the apex court had rejected a plea, filed by senior counsel Faisal Siddiqi on behalf of civil society activists, to constitute a full court for the case. During today’s hearing, the CJP ex-
pressed regret and grief over the events of May 9 and stressed that he didn’t want the “army to raise their weapons against the people of Pakistan”. He said armed forces should be praised for not opening fire on civilians despite the violence on May 9, recalling that people in Mianwali had broken into and attacked army installations. “However, the military will not be allowed to take any illegal steps,” he noted. Justice Bandial further said the court was of the opinion that there was a further need to hear Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan’s arguments but contended that the court would not be able to do so for at least two weeks due to the unavailability of judges. “AGP sahib, no military trials of civilians will be conducted,” he told Awan, to which the latter responded in the affirmative and added that assurances were given over the same.
Subsequently, CJP Bandial said the Supreme Court’s (SC) order on the provision of facilities to the suspects in custody will still remain applicable. “It would have been great if everyone abided by the law and Constitution,” the chief justice stated. “We respect those who cooperate with the court, and also those who do not cooperate with us,” he added. ‘Fundamental rights can’t be left to discretion of legislature’ During the proceeding, the AGP said the suspects were charged under Section 2-D(1) of the Official Secrets Act. Here, Justice Akhtar said the trial of civilians in a military court was equivalent to having a parallel judicial system. Meanwhile, Justice Afridi asked the AGP about his opinion on Article 175 and Article 175(3) of the Constitution, which refer to the establishment and jurisdiction of courts. “Court martial doesn’t fall under the
jurisdiction of Article 175,” Awan replied, to which Justice Ayesha asked if there was any other provision in the Constitution on the basis of which the AGP was arguing. “I am noting your questions,” Awan replied. However, Justice Ayesha asked if the former was deviating from her questions. Justice Akhtar maintained that fundamental rights could not be left to the “discretion of the legislature”. “It cannot be that House includes some offences in the Army Act while the other removes or adds others offences,” he asserted. “The concept of fundamental human rights is such that the state cannot take them back even if it wants to,” Justice Akhtar pointed out, adding that fundamental rights had been guaranteed by the Constitution.
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PM Shehbaz vows to dissolve National Assembly on Aug 9 ISLAMABAD
Staff RepoRt
In a major announcement, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Thursday that he would dissolve the National Assembly on August 9. The decision came after Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif met with parliamentary leaders at a dinner in honour of the members of parliament, where the country’s political situation was thoroughly discussed. During the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz sought their input and discussed the arrangements for the caretaker prime minister and the caretaker setup. This crucial step is part of the democratic process, ensuring a smooth transition of power before the next general elections. On August 9, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will
send a formal advice to the President for the dissolution of the National Assembly. According to constitutional provisions, the President must sign the advice within 48 hours to effectuate the dissolution. If, for any reason, the President does not sign the advice, the Assembly will be automatically dissolved. Furthermore, Prime Minister Shehbaz assured that after three days of consultation with the opposition, he will submit the name of the caretaker prime minister to the President. The aim is to reach a consensus between the government and opposition over the caretaker premier. However, if no agreement is reached, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will step in and nominate a candidate for the caretaker prime minister position from the proposed names. Addressing the members of Parliament during the
dinner, the prime minister acknowledged the challenging circumstances under which he took over the government. He emphasised that despite facing numerous obstacles and criticism, his government worked diligently to steer the country out of turmoil. “Our conscience is satisfied that we took the country out of the vortex by sacrificing politics,” he stated, acknowledging the efforts made by the coalition government to overcome various difficulties. Notably, he highlighted the successful negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), underscoring the importance of economic stability for the nation’s progress. Prime Minister Shehbaz expressed his commitment to creating a caretaker setup that would be acceptable to all stakeholders. This move is aimed at ensuring transparency, fairness, and impartiality during the transitional period leading up to the next general elections.
fulfill important condition of FATF, IMF ISLAMABAD
Staff RepoRt
The government of Pakistan on Thursday fulfilled an important condition of International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Financial Action Task Force (FATF) when the National Assembly passed the National AntiMoney Laundering and Counter Financing of Terrorism Authority Bill 2023. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar moved the bill in the lower house of the parliament. The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs said this legislation is of immense importance and if enforced and properly implemented, it will make sure that Pakistan does not see the FATF’s grey list again. Hina Rabbani Khar said the bill envisages the establishment of a National Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Financing of Terrorism Authority. She said the Chairman of the authority will be appointed by the Prime Minister. She informed that the authority will comprise of the Secretary Finance, the Secretary Foreign Affairs, the Secretary Interior, the Governor State Bank of Pakistan, the Chairman Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, the Chairman NAB, the DG FIA, the DG Anti-Narcotics Force, the Chairman FBR, the DG Financial Monitoring Unit, the National Coordinator of NACTA and the chief secretaries of the provinces. Other bills that were passed by the house today included The Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals (Amendment) Bill, 2023, The Press, Newspapers, News Agencies and Books Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2023, Pakistan Civil Aviation Bill, 2023, the National Logistics Corporation Bill, 2023, The Gun and Country Club Bill, 2023, Pakistan Air Safety Investigation Bill, 2023 and Institute of Gujarat Bill, 2023. Later, the House was adjourned to meet again tomorrow at eleven am.