The Supreme Court of Pakistan rejected on Wednesday the government’s fact-finding committee, formed to ensure compliance with the top court’s verdict on the 2017 sit-in by the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) at Islamabad’s Faizabad Wednesday. A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Athar Minallah took up a set of review petitions against the apex court’s Feb 6, 2019 judgement in Faizabad sit-in case. The federal government constituted fact-finding committee on Friday to determine those responsible for the Faizabad sit-in. The top court in its detailed four-page written order invited all the concerned parties to clarify their positions in the Faizabad sit-in case.

At the outset of the hearing today, Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan read out the order of the previous hearing. “The apex court wants to know who was behind the Faizabad sit-in,” Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa remarked, expressing annoyance over the decision not being implemented since its issuance on February 6, 2019. He also ordered the Attorney-General for Pakistan, Mansoor Usman Awan, to form a new inquiry commission soon pertaining to the implementation of the apex court verdict in the Faizabad sit-in case.

‘Faiz Hamid pressurized PEMRA during Faizabad sit-in’ Ex-chairman of the media regulatory body said that former ISI chief Faiz Hamid pressurized Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) during Faizabad sit-in. As per details, former chairman of PEMRA Absar Alam submitted his statement to Supreme Court in Faizabad sit-in case. Absar Alam stated that Ex-ISI chief General retired Faiz Hamid pressurized him to take action against senior journalist Najam Sethi and ban the former US ambassador Husain Haqqani however his demands were not met.

In his statement, the former chairman of the media regulatory body said that a letter was also written to ex-prime minister and Chief Justice of Pakistan in April 2017 regarding the pressure on the TV channels by Faiz Hamid and officers working under his command. Absar Alam stated that he held a press conference to expose the threatening calls he was receiving and the harassment of PEMRA officials.

He added that one channel was banned for violating the PEMRA rules during the Faizabad sit-in but the ex-ISI chief demanded to ban more channels meanwhile on November 25, 2017 Marriyum Aurangzeb asked the media regulatory body to ban all TV channels. Back in November 08, 2017, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) organized a sit-in at Faizabad interchange against the amendments in the Election Bill 2017, changing the word oath to declaration.

The protesters demanded the resignation of Minister for Law and Justice Zahid Hamid to “protect the identity of the country”. The protestors achieved their objective as the Pakistani law minister Zahid Hamid stepped down from his position on November 27, 2017 culminating in an end to the protests that continued for 20 days without harm.

 
Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)