October 19, 2017
ISLAMABAD : The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday adjourned the hearing of a petition seeking disqualification of PakistanTehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Jahangir Tareen till October 23.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar was hearing the petition filed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hanif Abbasi.
The petition seeks the disqualification of PTI Chairman Imran Khan and the party’s Secretary General Jahangir Tareen from holding public office, over non-disclosure of assets, owning offshore companies, and receiving funds for the party from prohibited sources.
A notice was issued to the Additional Attorney General to seek an opinion on Sections 15-A and 15-B of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan Act.
Chief Justice Nisar said that the court will hear the miscellaneous application filed by the PTI chairman regarding the money trial on Monday.
The chief justice also expressed concerns over television talk shows, stating that observations of the bench members and their remarks should not become the subject of discussion on these shows.
“Those conducting talk shows are ignorant of the laws and court proceedings,” the CJP said.
Justice Nisar said that the apex court had shown extreme restraint and caution, and disclosed that he was receiving text messages stating that the SC’s honor and dignity was at stake.
“We are being urged, in these messages, to take an action on whatever is being said about the SC,” he commented.
He added that while he has immense tolerance and sees everything in the greater national interest, people should also refrain from targeting the institution, though criticism is welcome.
The court had started hearing the disqualification case against Tareen on Wednesday.
In an earlier remark on some of the details in the documents submitted by the PTI secretary general, the CJP had said that it seemed like some of the documents were fake.