NRO case: SC gives fortnight to Govt for review

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NRO case: SC gives fortnight to Govt for review

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27 September,2010 07:15 am

Accepting Governments plea, the Supreme Court on Monday put off hearing of the NRO implementation ruling for a fortnight. The next hearing would take place on October 13, 2010. The court accepted the application for the delay in writing letters to the Swiss courts. The CJ, however, asked that why the convicts have not been arrested yet, and why no action has been taken against former attorney general Malik Qayyum. Earlier, the Attorney General submitted an application in the Supreme Court requesting it to adjourn the hearing of the implementation of NRO ruling and reopening of Swiss cases. The application pleaded that he could not complete his homework on the case because of some unavoidable preoccupations of Prime Minister Gilani as he remained busy in flood-related issues besides others. A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, would hear the cases. All eyes are already focused on the Supreme Court today when the judiciary resumes hearing the all-important cases of the 18th Amendment, implementation of its judgment on the NRO, appointment of NRO beneficiaries at key posts and missing people. Each one of them has a bearing on the survival of the PPP-led political dispensation. The federal governments lawyer was likely to present in court the summary proposal ratified by the PM with respect to the reopening of Swiss cases. On Friday, Attorney General Anwarul Haq told the court that the PM has approved the summary proposal on which the CJ warned of the consequences in case of defiance. Delay would be detrimental: Justice Tariq Justice (r) Tariq Mehmood, while talking to Dunya News, said that anyone could file an application for deferment; however only the court could decide whether to defer the case or not. He warned that delay would be harmful for the country, saying that the cases should be resolved as early as possible. He said in parliamentary system, chief executive of the country is the sole authority and he can also sack the ministers bit we all know that PM Gilani is not the sole authority. Govt does not have sound excuses: AK DogarTalking to Dunya News, Advocate AK Dogar asked that for how long the government wanted to buy time as there is limit to everything. He said that by far the SC has shown great degree of patience but the government is putting lame excuses for postponement of the hearing. Khalid Ranjha calls upon SC to adjourn casesAdvocate Khalid Ranjha, while talking to Dunya News, said that to avoid confrontation between institutions, the apex court should give time keeping in view the inability of the government to complete homework regarding the NRO cases. Govts demand for time not a good omen: Qazi AnwarTalking on the issue, Qazi Anwar, President Supreme Court Bar Association, said that governments demand for time to review the case is not a good omen. He said that the development has rendered vagueness to governments stance with regards to the NRO cases. Referring to the busy schedule of the PM, Qazai said that the excuse is lame for governments international and national engagements are consistent. He maintained that now it is existential issue for the judiciary to get its orders implemented by the executive organs of the country. Govt wants to linger case: Justice Wajihuddin Justice (r) Wajihuddin said that the government is using delaying tactics and wanted to linger the case.