Federation tells Apex Court fact-finding committee comprising officials from ISI, defence, interior ministries will present findings on November 1 n CJP-led bench to resume hearing on same day n Sheikh Rasheed denies any connection with TLP’s sit-in protest, files appeal to withdraw review petition.

ISLAMABAD  -  The federal government Friday informed the Apex Court that in pursuant to its order, it had formed a committee for the compliance of Faizabad ‘dharna’ judgement.

The federation in its statement submitted in the Supreme Court said that a fact-finding committee has been formed comprising the additional secretaries of the ministries of defence and interior and the director of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

It informed that the committee held its first meeting on October 26 and will be presenting its findings to the Ministry of Defence on November 1.

It further mentioned that in case an extension is needed by the committee to complete its task, it will seek time from the defence ministry.

A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Athar Minallah will resume hearing of the case on November 1. The federal government, Ministry of Defence (ISI), the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rasheed and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), who earlier had filed the review petitions against the Supreme Court judgment, last month submitted applications to withdraw their petition, urging the bench to accept their plea for withdrawal.

A two-judge bench comprising Justice Isa and Justice Mushir Alam on February 6, 2019 delivered the judgement passing various directions. Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan on the last hearing (September 28) informed the bench that the steps will be taken to implement the judegment.

Earlier, on September 28, the SC invited all persons and organisations to disclose facts pertaining to the Faizabad sitin by October 27, 2023 as the court will resume proceedings on eight review petitions filed against the Feb 2019 verdict on November 1. 

In a written order, the court invited all individuals and parties - civil, private or governmental - to submit in writing through affidavits if they wish to disclose facts pertaining to the matter. 

The court observed that “adjournments have been sought” and “certain parties are not in attendance” while “some have publicly stated that they knew what had happened, yet the judgment did not consider their point of view”. 

“This is surprising given that it was noted in paragraph 17 of the judgment that: All the hearings in this case were conducted in open court. We had permitted those aggrieved and those whose interest may be affected to come forward and had also permitted them to file documents and written submission,” the apex court noted in its written order. 

“In any event we are providing another opportunity to all to submit in writing through affidavits if they want to disclose facts pertaining to this matter. The learned AG (Attorney General of Pakistan) however states that the matter attends to events of a certain period and its scope should not be extended,” the written order stated. 

The top court recounted the questions that were raised at the previous hearing: Why the matter was not taken up by the apex court in the past four years? The simultaneous filing of these review petitions and the reason behind doing so. Whether constitutional and statutory bodies acted independently in filing the same. Whether, as claimed by some, the Feb 2019 judgment has been implemented. 

In this matter, several review petitions were filed against the verdict authored by now Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa on Feb 6, 2019. This judgment pertained to a sit-in staged by the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) in Faizabad in 2017.

In this scathing judgment, authored by Justice Isa, it directed the country’s intelligence agencies, including the ISI, IB, Military Intelligence (MI), and the army’s media wing, the Inter- Services Public Relations (ISPR), not to exceed their constitutional mandate. 

The judgment specifically addressed the role of intelligence agencies during a 20-day sit-in organised by the TLP at the intersection of Rawalpindi and Islamabad in Nov 2017. The TLP had initiated the protest in response to alleged changes made in lawmakers’ oath, affirming that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is the last messenger of Allah, through the Elections Bill 2017 - during the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) government. The protesters demanded the resignation of the then law minister Zahid Hamid. These protests disrupted daily life in the twin cities for 20 days, leading to multiple rounds of negotiations between the government and protesters. Ultimately, Hamid resigned on Nov 27, 2017, meeting the TLP’s demands.

In this 2019 judgment, Justice Isa emphasised that the Constitution explicitly prohibited members of the armed forces from engaging in any form of political activity, including supporting a political party, faction, or individual. The verdict directed the government of Pakistan, through the Ministry of Defence and the respective chiefs of the army, navy, and air force, to take action against personnel under their command found in violation of their oath. 

Additionally, the judgment instructed the federal government to monitor individuals advocating hate, extremism, and terrorism, prosecuting them in accordance with the law. The judgment also included adverse observations about various government departments and public sector entities, as the 20-day sit-in severely disrupted life in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.