SC forms bench to hear uplift funds case today

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed on Tuesday constituted a five-member larger bench over the matter of distribution of development funds to lawmakers by Prime Minister Imran Khan, which will be heard today (Wednesday).

The bench, headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, includes Justice Isa, Justice Mushir Alam, Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan. The court has issued notices to the Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary, Cabinet Division Secretary, Finance Secretary, federal and provincial advocate generals and chief secretaries. The court has also put the Attorney-General as well as all advocate generals on notice.

Last week, Justice Isa took notice of the development funds approved for members of the National Assembly and provincial assemblies by Prime Minister Khan in a meeting last month, warning that legal proceedings would be initiated if the move was found to be in contravention of the law.

On January 27, Prime Minister Khan presided over a parliamentary party meeting of the ruling alliance led by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) at the Parliament House, during which he approved grants of Rs500 million for each member of the National Assembly and provincial assemblies.

The grants were allocated under the sustainable development goals so that the lawmakers could carry out development schemes in their constituencies. The decision was taken after longstanding demands from the lawmakers for release of development funds.

Justice Isa, while hearing a separate case, quoted a newspaper report of the approval of development funds and summoned the Attorney-General for Pakistan Barrister Khalid Jawed Khan (AGP) to apprise the court of the matter.

The Attorney-General said he would give the court an update after receiving instructions from the government and further gave assurances that whatever action is taken would be in the light of the law Constitution and legal precedent.