ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial is likely to deliberate on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s request for a full court to examine the assassination attempt of PTI chief Imran Khan.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif requested Justice Bandial to form a full-court commission to investigate the attack on the former prime minister to end “chaos and evil”. He added that he would write to the chief justice to form a full court soon.
During the press conference in Lahore, the Premier said that questions will be raised in the future if this appeal is not listened to, urging that a judicial investigation was important to bring the truth before the people.
Justice Bandial will consult fellow judges of the Supreme Court today on the premier’s presser.
Monday is a hectic day as the highest court will take up several high-profile and important cases, including the Ministry of Interior’s petition seeking initiation of contempt proceeding under Article 204 of the Constitution against Khan for violating its order of May 25 as well as Presidential Reference seeking the top court’s opinion on the Reko Diq settlement agreement.
Sources said Premier Shehbaz has not yet officially approached the country’s highest court for the formation of a full court for probing the Wazirabad incident. “After the chief justice receives the official request from the Prime Minister’s office, pros and cons of the possibility of formation of the judicial commission would be looked into,” the sources revealed.
The sources further revealed that due to the high load of cases pending before the top court for adjudication and current cases, the top court cannot spare all the judges for probing the assassination attempt on Imran Khan.
Meanwhile, the legal fraternity is of the view that the prime minister has no authority to ask the chief justice to constitute a full court for probing any matter adding that it is the prerogative of the chief justice to do so.
The said commission of inquiry can conduct an inquiry into a matter by exercising powers as judicial proceedings where the committee can call into aid every executive authority of the country, Geo News reported.
The set commission has to prepare a report to submit before the federal government and the federal government can make it public within 30 days.
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