CJP reprimands lawyer for 'political point-scoring' in missing persons case

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Qazi Faez Isa reprimanded senior lawyer and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shoaib Shaheen for the ‘political point-scoring’ in the missing persons case.

On Tuesday, a three-member bench headed by the CJP took up the case related to ‘forced disappearance’. Plaintiff, Khushdil Khan moved SC seeking a commission to recover missing persons.

At the outset of the hearing, the CJP remarked that the court cannot direct Parliament for legislation, while Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar remarked that a commission is already working on the recovery of missing persons.

Lawyer Shoaib Shaheen in his arguments said the Registrar’s Office has raised objections to their plea. At this juncture, CJP Qazi Faez Isa remarked that the bench rejected the objections of the office as the matter was of public interest.

Shaheen said families of the missing persons are waiting for the return of their loved ones and also raised the ‘abduction’ matter of PTI leaders including Sheikh Rasheed, Sadaqat Abbasi and others before the court.

Avoid political point-scoring on the matter, the CJP remarked and asked the lawyer will the aforesaid people become a party in the missing persons case.

Do these people don’t have the resources to plead a case in the SC, the top judge asked and added this is not a forum for ‘political point-scoring’.

Continuing his argument, the lawyer alleged a bill regarding missing persons moved by the then-Human Rights minister Shireen Mazari gone missing from the Senate.

“You are raising serious allegations,” the CJP said and asked what Mazari did after missing of bill, did she resign?

“The problem is that no one takes responsibility while being in power.”

Upon query of CJP Isa why Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani is not made respondent in the case for ‘misplacing’ the bill, Shaheen said the matter of the bill missing is added to the plea as a background.

The case is serious but you are not, the top judge remarked and adjourned the hearing until tomorrow. The attorney general of Pakistan has been also summoned by the court.