SC says parties in the case Faizabad sit-in have another chance to present facts

Supreme Court  to hear 1090 pleas against inflated power bills on Oct 16.

ISLAMABAD  – The Supreme Court on Monday issued a written order in the Faizabad sit-in review case, saying all parties involved in the matter was being given another opportunity to present facts.

The four-page order inked by Chief Justice Faez Isa says that they could submit their replies through affidavits by Oct 27 while the next hearing is scheduled for Nov 1.

According to the court order, the attorney general said during the hearing that the defence ministry did not want to pursue the review plea it had filed. The Intelligence Bureau (IB), Pemra (Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) too requested to withdraw the review petitions.

However, Sheikh Rashid – who is also among the petitioners – sought more time to hire the service of a new counsel while Ijazul Haq objected to the paragraph 4 of the judgment and raised four more questions during the hearing.

The order mentions that some of the parties is given more time due to their absence.

Moreover, some people stated in public that they knew what had actually happened during the Faizabad sit-in episode and that the court did not take into account their viewpoint.

The stance under paragraph 17 of the Faizabad sit-in case judgment is surprising for the court, Chief Justice Isa notes in the written order.

In this regard, the order recalls that the court had mentioned in the Faizabad sit-in verdict that any party could submit its perspective in written form.

Meanwhile, the chief justice also observed that the attorney general had argued that the Faizabad sit-in was for limited period and the judgment should not cover a wider scope.

It is important to note that the then prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had again stated during a recent TV talk show that he was ready to share the facts about the episode if the court provided a chance to him.

While,

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faiz Isa heard the case.

“The court will hear arguments and decide the matter on October 16”, the court announced. “No video link facility will be available on Oct 16, all sides have to arrive in Islamabad to present their arguments,” the court added.

Earlier, CJP Qazi Faez Isa turned down a request for time from the Attorney General. “Attorney General should prepare for case in half hour,” the bench said.

“The AG has not been put on notice in this case, he himself wants to present arguments,” AAG Aamir Rehman said while seeking time for the AG.

“It is okay, if you, yourself in writing say that Aamir Rehman is ineligible to present arguments. We could not become such rude,” CJP said. “I see Aamir Rehman an eligible lawyer able to present arguments in case before the court himself,” Justice Isa remarked.

“There is a pile of cases against power prices,” the CJP observed. Justice Faez Isa ordered the AAG to prepare arguments in the case within half hour while announcing to hear the case after 11:30am.

Power Protests

Inflated power bills triggered country-wide protests from Karachi to Khyber recently which turned violent in some parts of the country.

In Karachi, the people protested against exorbitant bills sent by K-Electric, the city’s sole power supplier. People complained that the bills they are being served are more than their salaries.

In Peshawar, a large number of people took to the streets۔ Citizens say they will no longer sit silent against this ‘injustice’۔ Traders from Ganj Bazaar and Lahore Square also set fire to power bills to record their protest۔

Meanwhile, in Rawalpindi, protesters gathered at Committee Chowk burned bills while demanding that the government should abolish fuel adjustment charges and taxes imposed on electricity.