ISLAMABAD – Justices Mansoor Ali Shah and Ayesha Malik made interesting remarks regarding the 26th Constitutional Amendment approved by the Senate and National Assembly.
During a hearing related to the establishment of the Climate Change Authority, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah had an engaging exchange with the Additional Attorney General. He asked whether the notification for the Chairman of Climate Change had been issued, to which an additional attorney general replied that it had not yet been issued.
Justice Mansoor asked where the Attorney General was. On it, the additional attorney general explained that the attorney general was busy last night and could not attend.
At this, Justice Mansoor, smiling, replied that all engagements should now be over, and directed that the attorney general should appear before the court on next date of hearing. The court adjourned the case for two weeks.
Meanwhile, during the hearing of an appeal against the High Court’s decision on the Competition Commission, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah mentioned the constitutional bench.
He humorously asked whether this case would go to the constitutional bench or if they could also hear it. He said that this question seems to arise daily in the Supreme Court regarding whether a case would be heard by a regular bench or a constitutional bench.
Lawyer Farogh Naseem remarked that political cases have now become constitutional cases, to which Justice Ayesha Malik, smiling, responded, “Well then! That’s for you and your constitutional bench to decide,”.
Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, wearing smile again, observed that they were adjourning the case for three weeks, by which time the situation would be clearer, as they would also need some time to understand it.
Justice Ayesha Malik remarked that they should read the new amendment, as they cannot hear the case related to Article 199 here.
