State Minister for Law Aqeel Malik said that the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) is now fully empowered to hear constitutional matters after approval of the 27th Amendment. The minister also confirmed that, following the 27th Amendment, the Supreme Court will not be able to hear constitutional cases.
Aqeel Malik said while speaking on the private media channel, “Judges have attempted to file their petition in the Supreme Court, but the court is not the correct forum for this request.”
State Minister for Law also said, “The constitutional court has been established, and all cases of constitutional nature will now be heard by it.” He also questioned why the judges had filed their petition in the Supreme Court, knowing that the SC has no authority to hear such cases.
According to Aqeel Malik, the judge’s plea “should have been filed in the constitutional court”, as the FCC is the right forum for such petitions.
State Minister also dismissed allegations about any breach of judicial autonomy, saying that the earlier president had the authority to transfer judges, but the role is now in the jurisdiction of the Judicial Commission.
“Resigning is the judges’ prerogative,” he said, adding that a misleading impression was being created regarding judicial resignations.
According to the media reports, four Islamabad High Court judges filed the plea to challenge the 27th Amendment in the Supreme Court. Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz, and Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan filed the petition, the media report confirmed.
However, the Supreme Court confirmed that no petition against the 27th Amendment has been filed by the IHC judges.
Also Read, Resigned judges pushing personal agenda, says Rana Sanaullah
The Prime Minister’s Advisor on Political Affairs, Rana Sanaullah, has said that the resigned judges made a political statement, saying that the constitution has been attacked. There is no evidence in the statements made by the two resigned judges,he added.
Rana Sanullah stated that the statements of the resigned judges are based on political and personal agendas. The resigned judges are targeting Parliament for making amendments. Making amendments is the job of Parliament, but the resigned judges are criticising, he said while speaking on the private media channel.
