In response to the allegations levelled by the Rawalpindi commissioner against him, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa has said that anyone can make any accusations.
Speaking to a Youtuber outside the Supreme Court in Islamabad in an unprecedented move, the CJP said everyone has the right to accuse, but they should also provide evidence to back those allegations.
Calling the allegations baseless and far from truth, Justice Isa said tomorrow someone will accuse him of theft or murder.
"The accuser has not presented any evidence," Justice Isa remarked. "Come up with evidence. Good or bad will be determined later."
الیکشن دھاندلی کے الزامات
— imran waseem (@imranwaseem92) February 17, 2024
قاضی فائز عیسی کی ساتھ کمشنر راولپندی لیاقت علی چٹھہ الزامات پر مکمل وی لاگ کچھ دیر بعد pic.twitter.com/rfhWOSv0uL
He further said that a chief justice has no role in elections under the Constitution. “Forget about me personally, don’t destroy the institution. Someone tried to ensure elections are not held. We foiled that attempt."
The CJP also said that one of his roles was to conduct elections, adding that if someone did not want an election, that is another matter. “The president and the election commission were debating on giving a date for the elections. We asked them to sit together and fix a date and let the court know,” Justice Isa remarked.
He further said that he was currently authoring a judgement on the case regarding Article 62(1)(f).
SC not to take suo motu notice of Chattha's allegations
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has decided against taking suo motu notice of the allegations of the Rawalpindi commissioner. Sources have said that the decision was taken after a consultative meeting between the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) and other Supreme Court judges.
The court has decided that Liaquat Chattha's allegations will be reviewed while hearing a petition already fixed against the election results on February 19.
Earlier, an important consultation meeting among judges was held in the chief justice of Pakistan's chamber in the wake of the allegations of pressure and electoral rigging by the Rawalpindi commissioner.
The meeting aimed to address the allegations made by Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha.
Sources indicated that prominent judges, including Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Ayesha Malik, and Justice Athar Minallah participated in the consultation. The focus of the meeting was reportedly centred on reviewing the allegations brought forth by the Rawalpindi commissioner.
The allegations, which sparked widespread attention, are being carefully scrutinized by the judges. After thorough deliberation, a decision will be made regarding whether to take formal notice of the allegations or not, as per the sources.
Also Read: Rawalpindi commissioner resigns over alleged election rigging
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has demanded the election commission conduct a transparent investigation into the allegations.
A statement issued by the SCBA stated that Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha has tried to make the office of chief justice controversial, adding that the CJP has no role in the conduct of the elections.
Earlier on Saturday, Rawalpindi Commissioner Chattha resigned from his post amidst a flurry of startling revelations regarding electoral misconduct. In a series of dramatic statements, Chattha expressed remorse for his actions, citing shame and a desire for atonement.
He expressed regret and remorse, stating that he feels ashamed of his actions and believes he should face severe consequences for his alleged misconduct.
He can be seen saying on video that he was deputed on election duty, but he was ashamed of his responsibilities. “I should be given the death penalty for the crime I have committed,” he says.
He claimed that presiding officers were crying in front of him, adding that he surrendered himself to the police. He also claimed he attempted suicide after the Fajar prayers, as he did not want the incident of 1971 to be repeated.
“I am removing the burden of my own conscience,” Chattha says.
