SC seven-member bench seeks details of people arrested after May 9, adjourns hearing till tomorrow

ISLAMABAD (92 News) - A seven member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial adjourned the hearing of petitions against the military courts till tomorrow.

The court sought the details of the people arrested after the May 9 incidents. During the hearing, Justice Yahya Afridi questioned whether the cases sent to the military courts had been challenged.

Justice Mansoor Ali Shah asked the attorney general to inform about the number of cases and the people arrested in those cases. Justice Ayesha Malik remarked that the court wants to know about the procedure adopted to shift the cases to military courts.

Earlier, Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Sardar Tariq Masood recused themselves from hearing the case.

Justice Qazi Faez Isa remarked that that he was leaving the bench, not refusing from hearing the case. "I cannot sit in bench until the verdict on the Practice and Procedure Act, terming it illegal. No law can be suspended because either it will be nullified or will be followed. The March 5 judgment was abolished through a circular issued on March 31. The court verdict was ignored in the circular. Was it the worth of the Supreme Court?" he observed.

Petitioners Aitezaz Ahsan and Latif Khosa requested Justice Qazi Faez Isa to hear the case. Aitezaz Ahsan appealed to Justice Qazi Faez Isa to hear the case for the protection of the house.

Justice Qazi Faez Isa replied that it was not the house, but the Supreme Court. "I have a great respect for you (Aitezaz Ahsan), but I cannot violate the oath," he added.

He also admonished another petitioner Latif Khosa and said that he could not sit in the bench till verdict on the Practice and Procedure Act.

Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial remarked that the bench had been formed under the constitution. "Two senior and respectable judges have objected to it. Do not quarrel over it. The stay order on the Practice and Procedure Act may be vacated," he observed.

The seven-member bench comprises of CJP Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ejazul Ahsan, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Yahya Khan Afridi, Justice Mazahar Ali Naqvi and Justice Ayesha Malik are hearing the petitions.