ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court’s six-member constitutional bench has begun hearing the cases that had been pending for years.
The bench, established under the 26th tweak to the constitution, heard its cases for the first time on Thursday, in an effort to clear the significant backlog and give petitioners justice.
The Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan-led bench had to hear around 34 cases as per the cause list for November 14 and 15. Eighteen of these cases were scheduled for Thursday and the remaining 16 set for Friday (today).
With Justice Khan in the lead, the constitutional bench includes Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Justice Musarrat Hilali and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan.
Owing to the unavailability of Justice Ayesha A Malik on November 14 and 15, a relevant committee had decided that a bench comprising all available judges should be constituted to proceed with the cases on these dates.
The bench will hear various natures of cases today including a case pertaining to bringing back money allegedly stashed abroad after embezzlement here, a case regarding women’s harassment at an office, the long due case of harassment between two celebrities — Ali Zafar and Meesha Shafi, the matter of Islamabad Convention Centre’s private use, ambit of Gilgit-Baltistan courts in Pakistan as well as different petitions of Defence Minister Khawaja Asif pertaining to energy projects.
The previous day, the bench had conducted hearing of 18 cases including one challenging appointment of former chief justice Qazi Faez Isa as the Balochistan High Court (BHC) chief justice and another related to environmental hazards.
The bench heard 18 cases, advancing proceedings on four while concluding 14, terming some of them frivolous. Justice Mandokhail noted that 60,000 cases are pending due to similar frivolous petitions.
Islamabad Convention Centre usage case
The bench first heard the case regarding the private use of the Islamabad Convention Centre. During the proceedings, the constitutional bench sought a response from the Attorney General’s office on the matter.
Justice Mazhar noted that a notice had also been issued to a former prime minister as part of this suo motu case. Justice Mandokhail directed that the convention centre should be managed according to the institution’s policy.
The Additional Attorney General requested time to gather information regarding outstanding dues, to which Justice Aminuddin responded: “Obtain the information and update the court shortly.”
Subsequently, the court adjourned the hearing for a while.
This is a developing story and is being updated with more details.
