SC adjourns hearing on pleas against Faizabad sit-in verdict till November 1

Islamabad: The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday adjourned hearing petitions seeking a review of its 2019 verdict on the Faizabad sit-in, till November 1.

The Ministry of Defence, the Intelligence Bureau, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, the leader of the Awami Muslim League, and Ejazul Haq all filed review petitions in the case.

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), the Government of Pakistan, and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf have all submitted new requests for the review to be withdrawn from the petitioners.

A three-member bench led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Aminuddin Khan took up the pleas challenging the verdict on the Faizabad sit-in staged by the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) in 2017 against the then Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's attorney, Barrister Ali Zafar, stated at the beginning of the hearing that his client wants to withdraw the review petition.

Despite being questioned three times, Ali Zafar responded that we do not want to move on with the review because of instructions from his client.

After the verdict in 2019, CJP Justice Qazi Faez Isa noted that the verdict had been contested.

Everyone is seeking withdrawal, the top judge said, adding that this is why we are here to discuss the review requests: to prevent "harming" institutions.

The CJP claimed that although the Faizabad sit-in paralyzed the entire nation, no one is now prepared to move on with the review.

Everyone is accountable including me, the top judge said.

The federal government's desire to drop its review petition was also communicated to the court by AGP Awan. The AGP replied, "There is no specific reason," in response to the CJP's question about why they were doing it. We merely wish to revoke the petition for review. The federal government is unwilling to support the plaintiff.

Observing that the court would continue to consider the Pemra's plea, the chief justice said, "So that no one says tomorrow that we were not heard."