SC ready to sit for 24 hours to hear respondents: CJP

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umer Ata Bandial said Monday that they were ready to sit for 24 hours and hear cases at 9pm if respondents desired so.

A five-member larger bench headed by Chief Justice Umer Ata Bandial and comprising justice Ijazul Ahsen, Justice Mazhal Alam Khan Miankhel, Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and Justice Sajjad Ali Shah was hearing a petition filed by sacked judge of Islamabad High Court Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui.

The CJP said that they wanted to conclude the case of appellant Shaukat Siddiqui at the earliest as two of the learned members of the bench were going to retire in the next two months. “We are ready to sit at the court for 24 hours and if the parties ask, they can even hear the cases at 9pm as well,” the CJP said.

He said that owing to burden of pending cases it was very difficult for them to constitute a larger bench every day. The CJP asked Hamid Khan, counsel for the sacked Judge of IHC Shaukat Siddiqui, to conclude his arguments today (Tuesday) and adjourned the matter.

Earlier, arguing before the court, Hamid Khan submitted that the Supreme Judicial Council had given its decision without hearing his client, adding that he (his client) came to know through media the SJC decision.

He said that the council should have made inquiries on the basis of two different stances, as required by the rules, adding that three references against his client were pending with the council. He said the council had left those three references pending and chosen the fourth one.

He submitted that the council was required to investigate the allegations leveled against his client. Chief Justice Umer Ata Bandial, however, observed that the facts about the instant case were available on record, adding that the court has noted down his arguments “So far, the court has conducted 14 hearings of this matter and said if you will conclude arguments by today (Tuesday),” the CJP asked the counsel.

Hamid Khan told the court that he will conclude his arguments in an hour at which the court adjourned the hearing for today (Tuesday).