Faizabad sit-in case: Defence ministry, PTI file review petitions in SC

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Defence has challenged the Supreme Court verdict in the Faizabad sit-in case, saying it will adversely affect the morale of the armed forces.

The review petition contended that the court’s observations will provide an opportunity to Indian and anti-state elements to indulge in propaganda against Pakistan. It contends that the observation about the involvement of armed forces in politics is vague as there is no evidence as such in this regard.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) also filed a review petition in the Supreme Court against its ruling on February 6, 2019 in the Faizabad sit-in case and prayed the court to expunge the remarks made against it in the said judgment.

The PTI filed the review petition through Barrister Ali Zafar under Article 188 of the Constitution. The PTI contended that the case in hand was not in relation to the 2014 dharna by the PTI-PAT in Islamabad.

However, the reference to the PTI-PAT dharna was made in paragraphs 17, 22, 23, 24 and 52 of the judgment under review. “The impression gained from the aforesaid is that as if the petitioner conducted an illegal protest for publicity and deliberately made wrong allegations,” the PTI maintained, adding that the remarks mentioned in the judgment are liable to be expunged.

It claimed that it had conducted the dharna for genuine reasons and the same was in accordance with the fundamental rights of the people of Pakistan. “The dharna was neither for publicity nor for any ulterior motives and the petitioner raised political demands and stood up for the civil rights of the citizens of Pakistan,” the PTI contended, saying it had nothing to do with the Faizabad dharna.

The ruling party stressed the need to expunge the remarks made in the judgment what it called contrary, and added that the aforesaid observations were made without hearing the petitioner and giving any opportunity to explain.

“Such observations are liable to be expunged,” the PTI contended, and prayed that the judgment under review dated 06.02.2019 passed by the court in SMC No.07/2017 may kindly be reviewed, in the interest of justice. It is to recall that the Defence Ministry had earlier also filed review petition against the verdict in the Faizabad sit-in case, saying that it will adversely affect the morale of the armed forces.