ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) led government has demanded the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umar Ata Bandial to step down after Justice Athar Minallah’s note that the suo motu on the delay in holding polls in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) was dismissed by 4-3. Addressing a news conference here in Islamabad on Friday, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said the CJP has now become controversial, thus he should resign. Justice Athar Minallah was among the judges who rejected the suo motu notice taken by the CJP on the delay in polls in Punjab and KP on the advice of a two-member Supreme Court bench hearing a transfer matter of Inspector General Police Ghulam Mehmood Dogar.

The CJP Bandial had formed a nine-member bench to hear the suo motu case. However, two of the nine judges recused themselves from the case, while four judges including Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Yahya Afridi, and Justice Athar Minallah had dismissed the case. In his note, Justice Athar Minallah reiterated that the “manner and mode” in which these proceedings were initiated had “unnecessarily” exposed the court to political controversies. Marriyum Aurangzeb said the detailed note of Justice Athar Minallah is a question mark on the Supreme Court’s proceedings in the case pertaining to elections in Punjab.

She said Justice Minallah’s note proves that the proceedings after the petition was dismissed by a majority of 4-3 bench, were wrong interpretation of Constitution, misconduct and undue political interference by judiciary in politics. She said the Supreme Court’s handling of this case has ensued a constitutional crisis in the country. She demanded of the Chief Justice to step down.

She said no political party ever evades elections, but elections should be held on the completion of constitutional tenure of the assemblies and at the same time across the country and should not be susceptible to the whims of any individual.