AAG criticises outgoing CJP during Full Court reference

ISLAMABAD: An unusual incident occurred on Friday during the Full Court reference on the eve of retirement of Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa when Additional Attorney General (AAG) Aamir Rehman claimed thatthe chief justice had spoken to the media late night supporting the short order in the high treason case issued by the special court on December 17.

Before Justice Khosa’s written address to the Full Court reference, the additional attorney general read out a written statement on behalf of Attorney General Anwar Mansoor Khan.

“With a very heavy heart, I have learned that Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa spoke to the media late in the night despite the fact that the Supreme Court is the appellate court in relation to the judgment of the special court, and supported the short order passed by the special court, especially when the detailed judgment had not been issued,” Aamir Rehman said.

He further said the mode of execution of the sentence ordered by Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth, head of the special court, apart from being totally illegal was inhuman, barbaric, against fundamental rights and all norms of criminal justice system.

“Such a conduct is unbecoming of a judge of a superior court,” he said. He, however, lauded the abilities of Justice Khosa to preserve the sanctity of courts and the fundamental rights of the citizens of Pakistan in Aasia Bibi case.

He also said Justice Khosa has been a contributor to the list with his judgment in the prominent case of Imran Khan Vs Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and others widely known as the Panama Papers case against the then sitting prime minister of Pakistan. In response, the outgoing chief justice rejected the allegations of the attorney general and termed them baseless and without truth.