CJP forms five-member bench to hear uplift funds case

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed has constituted a five-member bench to hear a case pertaining to reported issuance of Rs500 million uplift grant to each lawmaker.

The larger bench headed by the chief justice will take up the matter tomorrow at 1pm. Intimation notices have been issued to the prime minister’s principal secretary, cabinet secretary and finance secretary.

The court has also put the attorney general as well as all advocate generals on notice.

On Feb 3, a two-judge Supreme Court bench, headed by Justice Qazi Faez Isa, had taken exception to reports regarding approval of Rs500 million each as uplift grant to PTI lawmakers.

“Is the prime minister’s giving funds to lawmakers in line with the constitution and law?” asked Justice Isa.

“We will dispose of the matter if the grant is being given as per the constitution, law and court orders,” he said and directed the AG to seek instructions from the government and inform the SC in this regard.

On January 27, according to reports, the prime minister had announced Rs500 million for each member of National Assembly and provincial assemblies under sustainable development goals in order to carry out development schemes in their constituencies.

The decision was taken in a meeting of the parliamentary party of the ruling alliance led by the PTI at the Parliament House.