Staff Reporter Islamabad
The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday sought the federal government’s written undertaking, signed by Prime Minister Imran Khan, that development funds would not be given to any lawmaker in violation of the Constitution and its 2013 judgment.
These remarks were made during the hearing of a case related to the prime minister’s approval of Rs500 million uplift grant to lawmakers which is being heard by a five-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed and compromising Justice Mushir Alam, Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan and Justice Isa.
A five-judge larger bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed resumed the hearing of matter related to a news report about PM Imran’s announcement regarding the distribution of Rs500 million to each lawmaker ahead of Senate elections.
Attorney General for Pakistan Khalid Javed Khan submitted a report signed by the Principal Secretary to PM, Azam Khan, that no fund will be given to any lawmaker in violation of SC judgment. Justice Qazi Faez Isa questioned Prime Minister Imran Khan’s stance on granting development funds to lawmakers, observing that a letter submitted by his principal secretary to the top court “did not contain the answers to the court’s questions”.
“The letter does not have answers to the court’s questions. It seems the prime minister has not read the court’s order properly,” Justice Isa observed.
On Feb 3, Justice Isa, while taking notice of the plan to distribute development funds, had asked the court office to place the file before the chief justice to constitute a bench to hear the matter.
