ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali has rejected an ‘unprecedented’ statement attributed to him in the media in which he reportedly urged the masses to rise up against the government for their rights.

“Media must stop spreading sensationalism and demonstrate its role of responsibility,” the CJP said in his remarks today.

He said: “We can’t issue irresponsible statements in the honourable court.” Mr. Jamali said some newspapers reported his remarks out of context, while most of the newspapers reported his statement ‘correctly’. He however said, ” we dont want to name any newspaper in specific.”

Read: Institutions must work within constitutional limits: Chief Justice

“What I had said that people must pick the right choice while casting their votes,” underlined the chief justice.

He reiterated that he never asked people to stand up for their rights or take to the streets.

It was reported a day ago that chief justice, while hearing the case about the Punjab government’s Rs45 billion Orange Line Metro Train, said the country was being run like monarchy.

Chief Justice Jamali reportedly said that mockery and not democracy was being practised in the country, where bad governance was in vogue in the name of governance.

The Lahore High Court (LHC) in a landmark judgment in August had restrained the construction of Orange Line train project within 200 feet distance of the historical sites in Lahore. The case was later shifted to the SC. The court has rejected the government plea for setting aside the LHC verdict on the project.

The plaintiff in this case said the Punjab government starts projects first and takes No Objection Certificates later. Justice Azmat Saeed of SC said loss of heritage sites would not be tolerated.