Live-streaming of NAB amendments case can be misused politically, observes SC
Pakistan
Not every case can be live-streamed, observed the top court
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - The Supreme Court on Saturday issued detailed verdict while justifying its earlier rejection of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government's plea for live-streaming the NAB amendments case hearing.
In the detailed order issued on Saturday, the apex court said that the plea of KP government was rejected as it wasn’t a case of public interest.
“The broadcasting of the court proceedings of cases involving politicians can be used for political point-scoring”, the SC stated in its detailed order.
Not every case can be live-streamed, observed the top court.
“This was a paramount consideration when we had dismissed the application. And, our apprehension proved correct later in the day. When Mr. Niazi [PTI founder Imran Khan] addressed this Court on (30 May 2024) he also mentioned other cases, the general elections held on 8 February 2023, a commission of inquiry and his incarceration; all these matters have nothing to do with the subject matter of these appeals. This cannot be permitted as it would thwart the proper administration of justice,” read the order.
The case was heard by a five-member SC larger bench headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi.
Also Read: SC to hear NAB amendments case on June 6
The petition for the live-streaming was rejected by the apex court in a 4-1 verdict with Justice Athar Minallah disagreeing with the majority judgement.
Earlier, PTI founder Imran Khan had challenged the NAB amendments in the top court.
Imran Khan, the incarcerated founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), had joined the previous proceedings via video link from Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail. His request seeking personal appearance in the case is pending with the apex court.
The former prime minister also interacted with Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa and informed him about difficulties he had been facing in seeking legal assistance about the case.
He said he was kept in solitary confinement and had no facility to prepare himself for the case.
BACKGROUND
The amendments made to the NAB Ordinance 1999 not only reduced the four-year term of bureau’s chairman and the prosecutor general to three years, but also placed all regulatory bodies functioning in the country out of NAB’s domain.
Read More: Imran Khan requests personal appearance in NAB amendment case hearing
Under the amended law, the term of accountability court judge was set at three years and the court was bound to decide a case within one year.
The PTI founder in his petition prayed that the amendments be struck down on grounds that they were unconstitutional. He argued that amendments to sections 2, 4, 5, 6, 25 and 26 of the NAB law are against the constitution, along with amendments made to sections 14, 15, 21 and 23.
He contended that amendments to the law are contrary to the fundamental rights under articles 9, 14, 19, 24, 25.
