ISLAMABAD - The controversy over the ‘adverse’ remarks allegedly attributed to Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial that ‘the country had just one honest Prime Minster’ echoed in the Senate for another day with the government’s top law officer facing criticism from the ruling coalition for issuing a clarification on the issue. The matter created an uproar in the house as PTI launched fresh salvo at the ruling coalition and blamed it for defying judgments of the courts and using delaying tactics to hold general elections in the two provincial assemblies. There was complete pandemonium in the Senate on Tuesday when Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani prorogued the house without transacting any agenda present on the orders the day. Last Friday, PML-N Senator Irfanul Haque Siddiqui speaking in the house had objected to the alleged remarks of the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), which were widely reported by national media. Calling the remarks disturbing, he questioned who has given the privilege to the Chief Justice that he has declared all prime ministers of the country, except one, dishonest. At the outset of the sitting, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said that he wanted to bring on record the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Shehzad Ata Elahi’s clarification on Chief Justice’s remarks. He said that AGP has conveyed his explanation to him through a letter.
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The law minister said the Attorney General has given a narrative that he was present in the courtroom and the CJP has not uttered remarks about the honesty of any Prime Minister. He said that the reports of social media while quoting the Chief Justice that ‘the country had just one honest Prime Minister’ were incorrect. Former Chairman Senate and PPP stalwart Mian Raza Rabani questioned the clarification of the top law officer and said, “How AGP dared to clarify the proceedings of the house.” He said the Attorney General has a privilege under the Constitution that he could sit in both the houses of the parliament, but was not a member of either house. “He cannot control the proceedings of the house. He cannot talk on behalf of this house. He cannot issue a clarification on behalf of this house. Let it be very clear,” he remarked.
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Rabbani stressed that the AGP should have defended the parliament in the courtroom when it used to be whipped and attacked by the judiciary. He underlined that the house should take serious exception to the letter written by the Attorney General and opined that the letter should not be placed on record of the house. Law Minister Senator Tarar clarified that this must not be made an issue. AGP has just clarified that social media has misreported the remarks that were never uttered, he added. Pointing out that he and Rabbani were not there, he said the Attorney General was present in the courtroom. “There is no need to go deep down into the issue,” he stressed. He pointed out that if someone has done it with good intentions, there was no need for his criticism. He advised that they should move forward instead of complicating things.
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On this, Rabbani again said AGP has no right to comment on the parliamentary proceedings. He added that a clarification should have been issued by the Registrar Supreme Court. Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Dr Shahzad Waseem said the Chief Justice also spoke about incomplete parliament and this should also be discussed. He said if the government really respects the judiciary, it should also respect the Constitution. He chided the law minister by saying how they can move forward when Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies stood dissolved and general elections to these assemblies were not being announced. “Is Lahore High Court not a court? Why are you not implementing its order for immediate holding of elections in Punjab,” he questioned. Senator Tarar reminded him that the Supreme Court had also noted that the PTI deliberately quit the assemblies and it should have taken part in the National Assembly proceedings when the amendments in the NAB law were being discussed in the house. He advised the opposition party that it needed introspection.
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Before proroguing the house, Senate chairman said that the members did not look serious in taking up the business as many lawmakers from both the sides were compelling the chair to let them speak on the issue.