Court reserves verdict on Shehbaz plea
Earlier, the defendant's counsel stated that the suit mentioned a legal notice was sent to his client on May 08, 2017, but no such notice was attached with the document. PM Shehbaz had sought permission to present the legal notice before the court.
PM Shehbaz in his defamation suit filed in 2017 said that Imran Khan levelled baseless allegations on him. He said Imran Khan accused him of offering Rs 10 billion through a common friend in exchange for withdrawing the case of Panama Papers from the Supreme Court. He sought a decree for recovery of Rs 10 billion as compensation from the defendant for publication of defamatory content.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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Express Tribune
2 hours ago
- Express Tribune
SC committee clips wings of acting CJP
Listen to article The committee formed under the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Act, 2023 has made the office of acting chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) ineffective by adopting a procedure. The committee — led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi and comprising Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Aminuddin Khan — on May 29 made a new procedure to regulate its business. A notification in this regard has been issued by Supreme Court Registrar Muhammad Saleem Khan. The same notification has also been uploaded on the Supreme Court website this week. The notification said the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act, 2023 has shifted to the committee the powers of constitution of benches and powers which were earlier exercised by the CJP. It stated that the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act, 2023 is not comprehensive to deal with many eventualities like emergencies and absence of the CJP for being abroad. 'It is necessary to regulate such voids not covered by the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act, 2023'. Therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section 2 of section 2 of the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act, 2023, the committee made a procedure to regulate its business. The notification stated that these procedures may be called the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Committee Procedure, 2025 which will come into force at once. Clause 1 of the procedure states that the chairperson, the CJP, shall convene the meeting of the committee as and when necessary, physically or through virtual means, for the purpose of constitution and reconstitution of benches. Clause 2 of procedure states that a minimum two members shall form the quorum of a meeting of the committee. Clause 4 says the committee shall constitute and reconstitute benches when required with regular intervals, preferably monthly or on fortnightly basis. 'Once finalized and issued, no change shall be made, save as provided under these procedures. Any change in the constitution of the committee including change of the chairperson or a member shall not invalidate the constitution of benches finalized by the committee,' it says. Clause 5 says that whenever the chairperson — the CJP — proceeds abroad or is unavailable to chair the meeting, he may constitute a special committee to deal with matters relating to reconstitution of benches if any of the urgent situations arises like sudden illness or absence of a judge, death or recusal of a judge. The special committee will be strictly limited to the urgencies and shall be recorded in writing, indicating reasons. Such temporary alteration shall be reported to the committee at its next meeting. Clause 6 says that SC registrar shall maintain record of all meetings, decisions, and alterations. Clause 7 says that these procedures shall have effect notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any other rules for the time being in force. Clause 8 says the committee may amend these procedures from time to time, as deemed necessary. Some legal experts believe that Clause 5 of newly notified Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Committee Procedure 2025 is contrary to constitutional provision and the purpose of this procedure is to make the office of acting CJP redundant. Former Lahore High Court judge Shahid Jamil said rule 5 of the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Committee Procedure, 2025 is in direct conflict with Article 180, dealing with appointment of acting CJP especially when the incumbent top judge is absent from Pakistan. 'It is incumbent upon the president to appoint the acting CJP, who shall be the most senior judge of the Supreme Court. Most importantly, the acting CJP shall act as the CJP during the absence. Shahid Jamil said Rule 5 is authorizing for consideration of a special committee, if the chairman of the committee is abroad or unavailable. 'The act has not used the word chairman of the committee, only the CJP is made one of the members alongside the Senior Judge of the Supreme Court and Constitutional Bench. In absence of the CJP, the most senior judge would, after appointment as the acting CJP, perform all the functions and exercise all powers of the CJP,' he added. Some legal experts said the committee led by CJP Afridi has exclusive power to decide about the cases which will be referred to constitutional benches for adjudication. However, the committee led by CJP Afridi and comprising Justice Shah and Justice Khan has been redundant as no regular meeting is being held to discuss the constitution of benches. Sources revealed to The Express Tribune that there has been practically no committee meeting since Justice Afridi took charge as the CJP. Perhaps, there was only one committee meeting on May 29 wherein the procedure was approved by the committee members. Sources said that there is no discussion or debate on how cases are being marked and benches made. Some senior lawyers are wondering as to why two senior judges adjudicate as division benches while junior judges are part of three-member benches. It is learnt that only the proposed roster is sent to committee members for approval. During the tenure of CJP Afridi, no minutes of committee meetings were uploaded on the SC website. Talking about the purpose of the procedure, a lawyer said it was done mainly to introduce Clause 5 wherein it is elaborated that the CJP will form a special committee to deal with the matters in his absence. He said the beneficiaries of 26th Constitutional Amendment are very nervous to leave matters in the hands of an acting CJP. 'Under the present Constitution, Justice Syed Masoor Ali Shah will be the acting CJP. They fear that Justice Shah as the acting CJP may do anything which will create trouble for them.' Justice Shah has worked as the acting CJP twice in the recent past. One section of lawyers is questioning why Justice Shah endorsed the procedure, which is contrary to the Constitution. Perhaps he did not react as clause 5 of the procedure is directly related to him, said a lawyer.
Express Tribune
2 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Nawaz-Imran meeting pure fiction: Dar
Listen to article Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday dismissed reports of a meeting between PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif and PTI founder Imran Khan, terming them baseless and part of a 'sponsored narrative' aimed at sowing political confusion. Speaking at the annual 982nd ceremonial bathing (ghusl) of the shrine of Hazrat Ali Hujwiri (Data Darbar) in Lahore, the DPM said such sponsored reports are propagated deliberately. 'These are all speculations. It must be someone's wish list as we don't want to meet anyone.' The foreign minister said the current government was initially formed with the critical support from the PPP. 'When we started, our numbers were incomplete without them. Now that we have a simple majority, there's no difficulty, but we will continue cooperating with the PPP even more than before,' he said. He also ruled out any rift within the ruling coalition, asserting that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had made no demands and remained a committed ally. 'The PPP did not demand any portfolio. They are our coalition partners and they supported us at hard time and companions are not left after the passage of trials and tribulations,' 'In difficult times, you don't abandon your partners,' he said, stressing that all coalition parties are working together on a shared economic agenda. Dar said the law will take its course and the government wants to work in synergy with all parties. He said the government had no war ambitions or hostility-driven agendas. 'We desire peace and stability in the region,' he said, adding that Iran had acknowledged Pakistan as a 'true friend', with chants of 'Shukria Pakistan' also echoing in their parliament. Highlighting the country's string of recent achievements, Dar noted that the country had been elected as a member of the UN Security Council and had signed a $2 billion agreement with Azerbaijan. 'Inflation has eased, interest rates have dropped from 22% to 11%, and per capita income will now rise,' he claimed. Dar accused Israel of engaging in terrorism and recalled how even at the funeral of Iran's military chief, slogans were raised in support of Pakistan. 'Iran has acknowledged Pakistan as a sincere friend. We do not seek war; our agenda is peace and regional security.' The deputy PM praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's relentless efforts, saying they had brought 'immense respect' to Pakistan on the global stage. He reminisced about the original inauguration of Data Darbar's development by Nawaz Sharif on May 31, 1999, and noted that the shrine's expansion was now near completion. On Pakistan-India ties, Dar said that the country responded firmly when provoked. 'During the India-Pakistan conflict, all political parties stood united. India started the war, but we brought down six of their aircraft and responded to 80 drone attacks within 36 hours. The ceasefire along the LoC is still intact,' he said. Commenting on the PDM's formation, Dar noted that Pakistan was on the brink of default at the time. 'If there had been no change, Pakistan would have defaulted. We took bold risks to steer the country back. Our foreign reserves have now reached $14 billion,' he revealed. Dar also warned of ongoing threats: 'Risk is always present; we must remain alert. Thirty militants were sent to hell. On the diplomatic front, talks with Saudi Arabia began seven to eight months ago and will resume on June 24. The general visa process has improved, and we request that Blue Passports be extended to include diplomats, MNAs, MPAs and senior bureaucrats.' Speaking on local developments, Dar said renovation work at Data Darbar had already begun. 'The dome has been elevated, and umbrellas like those in Masjid-e-Nabawi will be installed in the mosque. We hope all work will be completed before the next ceremonial bathing.' The ghusl ceremony was attended by Provincial Auqaf Minister Shafi Hussain and a large number of devotees.
Express Tribune
6 hours ago
- Express Tribune
No-confidence cloud gathers over Gandapur in K-P
A political storm may be brewing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as Governor Faisal Karim Kundi confirmed on Saturday that both the ruling alliance and opposition are seriously weighing a no-confidence move against Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur – amid a shifting tide in assembly numbers following the Supreme Court's ruling on reserved seats. In an exclusive conversation, the K-P governor said the opposition reserves the democratic right to bring a no-confidence motion against the provincial government whenever it has a numerical edge in the assembly, saying why would any opposition wait if it has the numbers. Governor Kundi clarified that there has been no formal attempt by the opposition to oust the K-P government yet, but the opposition was actively working to consolidate support. "We (ruling alliance and provincial opposition) are seriously working on it. The numbers have changed in the assembly. The opposition is not in a hurry but it won't wait when the numbers are complete," he said. Governor Kundi said the opposition parties currently hold around 54 seats in the K-P Assembly and see an opening to secure support from nearly 35 independent members. "No opposition party would wait even for a second if it can outnumber the ruling party in any assembly," he said. With the support of the independent MPAs, Governor Kundi, while responding to a question, said that the task of removing the PTI-led K-P government was achievable, as the defection clause would not apply to them. In 2024, the Supreme Court had held that lawmakers who cross the floor will have their votes counted, even if they are subsequently disqualified. This would necessitate by-elections on any seats they vacate. In contrast, if the opposition relies on independent members for support, no by-elections would arise, as their participation does not violate constitutional provisions. Under Article 136 of the Constitution, the chief minister can be removed through a vote of no-confidence supported by a majority of the total membership of the provincial assembly. Alternatively, under Article 130(7), the governor can ask the chief minister to seek a vote of confidence if he believes the leader of the house no longer commands majority support. In both cases, the support of at least 73 MPAs is required in the 145-member assembly, indicating that the opposition is currently short by about 19 to 20 votes. Governor Kundi dismissed the notion that the ruling alliance at the Centre was rushing into any political manoeuvring. "Work is in progress. When the numbers are there, we won't delay," he said. In reference to CM Gandapur's repeated public taunts and warnings, Kundi said: "The chief minister keeps throwing challenges. But we will act when it matters." Drawing a parallel with the political events of April 2022, Kundi recalled that a no-confidence motion against then Prime Minister Imran Khan was successfully executed back then. "At that time too, the PTI government claimed no one could dislodge them. Everyone saw what happened next," he said. Asked whether Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had instructed him to initiate the move against the K-P government during their recent meeting, the governor clarified that while the matter was discussed, there were no specific directions issued. "Yes, we discussed the situation after the reserved seats decision, but there was no order or specific task given from the prime minister," he said. On a lighter note, Kundi, while referring to CM K-P's repeated challenges that he would quit politics if anyone ousts him, said "we don't want Gandapur to become unemployed or quit politics." Commenting on coordination within the opposition, Kundi acknowledged the political relevance of JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and said interactions take place to discuss different things and the rapidly changing political situation. Kundi said that Maulana is a senior figure with vast political experience, saying meetings and consultations with political leaders like him are routinely held. The recent changes in the reserved seat allocations have altered the political equation in K-P, prompting discussions at the highest level within the ruling coalition. While no formal step has yet been taken, political observers believe the possibility of a no-confidence motion has become significantly possible if independents change sides. They say that the coming days are likely to be decisive in determining whether the PTI retains its grip on the province or faces a repeat of April 2022.
