Islamabad: Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry
further said that parliament is important institution of state. He said
certain news about assemblies’ failure are wrongly attributed to the
court in the media. The CJP further said the court had only declared
that the parliamentary committee cannot conduct investigations.
The President is head of state and this regard is respectable to us, the CJP added.
Asma
Jehangir, counsel for accused Hussain Haqqani, contended that court’s
jurisdiction to take up matters of public importance couldn’t be
applicable to political issues. Justice Shakirullah Jan said the Supreme
Court’s jurisdiction is not confined to matters of public interest.
Asma said the court should not consider the big names of the applicants
and instead tread as per the law.
The CJP said Army Chief should
be respected because them people give toil and blood to the country.
Asma said those who give blood are others, the generals only enjoy rule.
She said we are indebted to Jawans (army soldiers) for their
sacrifices.
She said tomorrow someone, invoking public interest
and national defence, may approach court to bring into question the
decision that are taken at Corps Commanders meetings
The Chief
Justice said the law doesn’t permit keeping anything secret. He also
said that the petitioners have not sought action against Hussain
Haqqani; they have only sought an inquiry into the matter.
Asma
said that invoking national security to trample on rights is American
practice. Pakistan doesn’t have any such doctrine, she added. The CJP
said that court didn’t validate dictator’s unconstitutional and
undemocratic steps. He said the court doesn’t have any application in
which impeachment of the President is sought.
The nine-member
bench of the Supreme Court is hearing the memogate case During
Wednesday’s hearing, Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad
Chaudhry had asked how the court should interpret president’s silence on
memo case.
It may be pertinent to mention here that the
President Asif Ali Zardari had not submitted his answer to the court as
yet on memo, as required by the apex court.
Husain Haqqani’s
Attorney Asma Jahangir said the things are being driven to president’s
impeachment. The nine-member bench heard the memo case headed by the
chief justice of Pakistan. There ensued an interesting exchange of words
between Asma Jahangir and the court during the course of the hearing.
She also referred to one of Habib Jalib’s couplet during the hearing.
She said Hussain Haqqani has informed the president about his decision
to resign in his letter. The court asked did Haqqani made his decision
to resign on November 16?
The CJP asked Asma Jahangir to trust
the court. Asma Jahangir said in her reply she did trust her husband but
could not surrender her rights to him. Justice Jawad S Khwaja said the
citizens have right to information under the article 19. Online
