CJP has ordered postponing police operation for three months, says governor

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar has issued directives to postpone police action regarding evacuation of Pakistan Quarters for three months, said Sindh Governor Imran Ismail.

“I talked to the Chief Justice and after listening to quite a few of my submissions, he stated that he was very much anxious about human lives. He also said that in no manner he wanted the issue to be tackled in a violent way,” Ismail said while talking to media personnel at Governor House on Wednesday afternoon.

The governor said he requested the CJP to issue directives to postpone the police action for some time so that the federal government and relevant agencies may arrive at a solution to the issue in the meantime. Ismail claimed that Justice Nisar approved his request. The governor expressed his gratitude to the CJP for taking cognisance of the matter and ordering postponement of the action for three months.

Ismail was of the view that as a possible solution to the issue, an alternative place could be provided to the residents of Pakistan Quarters to resettle. He maintained that during the three-month period, he was ready to play his due role to find a middle ground to resolve the problem. The solution so arrived at has to be acceptable to all the stakeholders, including the court, government, and Pakistan Quarters residents, he said.

To a query, the governor replied that earlier in the day he had also talked to the president, prime minister, and leaders of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, including Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and Amir Khan, to discuss the issue. If was after discussing the matter with the PM, he approached the CJP, he said.

When asked whether the police action was deferred for only Pakistan Quarters or operation was postponed for other federal employees’ housing colonies in the city as well such as Martin Quarters and Clayton Quarters, the governor replied that he had only discussed Pakistan Quarters with the CJP and only a formal order from the Supreme Court in this regard would interpret well whether the postponement directives were meant for other colonies or not.

Ismail also claimed that authorities of law enforcement agencies (LEAs) were concerned about how the situation evolved after the operation against residents of Pakistan Quarters started. The law enforcers also wanted the federal government to intervene and help resolve the issue amicably, he said.