People’s decision only solution to crises, says CJP

By Ali Imran

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial on Thursday said the “solution of all issues of the country is only possible through the people’s decision” as he heard PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s petition against the August 2022 amendments to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) ordinance.
A three-member Supreme Court bench — comprising CJP Bandial, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Ijazul Ah-san — resumed hearing Imran’s plea, which claims the new NAB laws are a “violation of fundamental rights”.
At the outset of the hearing today, discussing the general elections, Justice Bandial said: “The solution of all issues of the country is only possible through the people’s decision. Eight months have passed since the incumbent govern-ment came to power.”
He referred to a prior ruling of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) saying: “The ECP had stated in the speaker ruling case that they would be ready to conduct elections in November 2022.”
The CJP asserted: “The current parliament has been systematically kept incomplete. The legislation taking place in the current parliament is also becoming controversial [as a result].”

After hearing the arguments, the three-member bench adjourned the next hearing till 11am on Feb 10 (today).