The Lahore High Court (LHC) is scheduled to hear a petition against the federal interior minister Mohsin Naqvi. The petition seeks the disqualification of Naqvi from his Senate seat. Acting Chief Justice of the LHC Justice Shujaat Ali Khan has taken up the petition for hearing today (Monday)
The LHC registrar’s office raised objections against this petition saying the petitioner -Mashkoor Hussain – was not an affected party. However, the petition was later fixed for hearing. Through Advocate Nadeem Sarwar, the petitioner argued that the minister was not eligible for the Senate’s seat. He was illegible because, at the time of his nomination, he was serving as the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), it said. The petition cited Article 63 of the Constitution of Pakistan. Article 63 sets out the grounds for the disqualification of Members of Parliament. These include convictions for various offenses, such as bribery, corruption, moral turpitude, and involvement in activities prejudicial to the integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan. The article also disqualifies individuals who have defaulted on government loans or have been declared insolvent, among other things. It stipulates that an individual cannot simultaneously hold both two positions. The petition seeks Naqvi’s removal from the Senate seat.
The petitioner made the federal government, Ministry of Interior, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), and Mohsin Naqvi as respondents. It is worth mentioning here that a thought strongly prevails that Mr. Naqi after serving as the acting chief minister of Punjab was said to be the military establishment’s favorite for both positions – the federal interior minister and chairman PCB. For his appointment as interior minister, he was chosen as a senator. The importance of the interior ministry is known to all and Mr. Naqvi’s appointment to this position is said to control certain matters including to control any agitation from the PTI.
Equally important to mention here is that just two days before the LHC issued a directive to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) instructing all civil and military agencies, including the Intelligence Bureau and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), to refrain from contacting or approaching any judge or their staff directly.
Justice Shahid Karim issued this directive in response to a written order, which surfaced on Saturday, following a complaint filed by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) judge in Sargodha. The judge alleged harassment after declining a meeting request from an intelligence agency. Former LHC Chief Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan who has now elevated to the Supreme Court initiated proceedings on the judge’s complaint by taking suo-moto notice. This case was later transferred to Mr. Justice Karim. The order said “The PMO must instruct all civil and military agencies, including the ISI and Intelligence Bureau, to strictly avoid any future contact with judges or their staff, both in the superior and subordinate judiciary.”
Additionally, Justice Karim instructed ATC judges in Punjab to install call-recording applications on their cell phones. They are required to record any calls that may appear influencing to the ongoing judicial accounts. However, details of the proceedings on the said petition will be reported after the hearing ends. (By Rana Kashif)
