Top Story
February 25, 2021
ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed on Wednesday said a political party is more important than a party leader in a democracy.
The Chief Justice made these remarks while heading a five-member larger bench that had taken up a presidential reference seeking open balloting in the upcoming Senate elections.
At the outset of hearing, Advocate Kamran Murtaza, counsel for the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), said the Attorney-General “might have misunderstood and he would argue the case before the court”. The Chief Justice responded that the court would hear his arguments.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) central leader Raza Rabbani, continuing his arguments, said he would try to conclude his arguments in 30 minutes. Upon this, the Chief Justice advised him to start his arguments “directly from the main point”.
CJP says open ballot ordinance seemingly issued over assumptions
Top Story
February 9, 2021
ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed remarked on Monday the presidential ordinance for open balloting in the Senate elections had been seemingly issued over speculations, but, he observed, no one could stop the government from issuing ordinances.
The CJP remarked the court would have annulled the presidential ordinance if it was not conditional, adding if the court’s opinion differed from the government’s position, the reference would be abolished. He said the ordinance was subject to judicial opinion.
He made these remarks while hearing the presidential reference seeking the apex court’s opinion on open balloting for the upcoming Senate elections. Five-member larger bench headed by the CJP and including Justice Mushir Alam, Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Yahya Afridi resumed hearing the reference on Monday.