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Approval of emergency by Parliament regrettable act: CJP
http://www.geo.tv/7-29-2009/46739.htm
Updated at: 2155 PST, Wednesday, July 29, 2009
ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry Wednesday said the judiciary is often blamed but the regrettable aspect of the case is that the parliament passed resolution, approving imposition of emergency.
The CJP said this in his remarks while hearing the constitution petition regarding appointment of high court judges and PCO judges.
Attorney General Latif Khosa said that Pakistan Peoples Party was not the part of that resolution.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry also said no such precedence exists in the world where martial law had been imposed with an aim to target judiciary. General Cromwells body was exhumed and hanged in country like Britain, he pointed out.
He said other cases are suffering delays because of the ongoing hearing of petition on judges appointment, as the entire nation awaits the courts judgment.
The CJP said the role of judiciary was being appreciated until September 6, 2007 and it was being said the Supreme Court served the country and nation by allowing Pervez Musharraf to contest the presidential election.
He discussed with Advocate Hamid Ali Khan as to what happened during October 22, 2007 and November 2, 2007 that necessitated an extreme decision of declaring emergency in the country.
At one point Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday said in his remarks that baseless observations were made for maligning the judges during Tikka Iqbal case.
Earlier, Hamid Khan in his arguments said the verdict on Tikka Iqbal case was based on the observation that the countrys defence was in jeopardy but nothing was explained as to what threats the countrys defence was facing at that time.
He said 5 more judges were appointed between November 23, 2007 and February 15, 2009 only to show that the decision was made by a 13-member bench.