ISLAMABAD: The pending 2017 murder trial in the Supreme Court prompted the chief justice to criticize the role of state institutions in political affairs as Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail reprimanded them for engaging in “political engineering” instead of performing their constitutional duties.
Apart from Justice Mandokhail, SC Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan also lamented the state of affairs in the country while hearing the bail plea of the Ishaq murder suspect on Friday.
It is noteworthy to mention here that Ishaq absconded after securing bail in the case and has to be arrested again.
“This case has been pending in the Supreme Court since 2017,” Judge Minallah noted, adding: “[…] and the state is busy overthrowing and forming a government. All institutions are chasing political opponents. This situation would be different if the Constitution is implemented.”
Justice Mandokhail also expressed displeasure over the performance of state institutions and questioned what happened to cases after three prime ministers were killed in the country. He also noted that the Chief Justice was killed in Balochistan.
The lawyer noted that the main reason was the “reluctance of state institutions to do something”. “Compared to the other two provinces, the state of police prosecution in Sindh and Punjab is pathetic,” he noted.
He went on to say that people had no faith in institutions and expected the Supreme Court to do everything. He added that no one should expect any positive change until state institutions engage in political engineering.
As for the Supreme Court, Justice Minallah lamented that the assassination of the Prime Minister was admitted after 40 years and wondered what could be a bigger crime than this. He noted that the court should have punished the culprit.
Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmed Khan also shed light on the level of insecurity prevailing in the country. He remarked that what would happen to an ordinary citizen in a country where the prime minister spends a day in the prime minister’s office and the next day in jail.
Justice Malik added that no one can predict the prime minister’s tenure in the country.
Later, the high court ordered the police to arrest the absconding murder suspect and handed him over to prison officials.
