LHC rejects PTI plea for Minar-e-Pakistan rally

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has stressed the need to implement the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in accordance with its spirit and text. Dar said dialogue and diplomacy are the only practical ways to resolve outstanding issues. He said Pakistan has always supported peace, negotiations, cooperation and mutual respect among nations. The foreign minister said developments during the past year had once again highlighted the urgent need to settle longstanding disputes peacefully. He said unresolved disputes remain a major challenge to regional peace and stability. Dar particularly highlighted the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. He described the issue as one of the key causes of instability in the region. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s continued moral, political and diplomatic support for the Kashmiri people. He said Pakistan would continue supporting the Kashmiri people in their struggle for their rights. He also stressed the importance of resolving disputes through peaceful dialogue and diplomatic engagement. Dar paid tribute to the people serving Pakistan and confronting threats from its enemies. He said these threats exist both inside and outside the country. He added that the nation stands united with those working to protect the country. The foreign minister expressed gratitude for the sacrifices made by security personnel and other individuals serving the national interest. He said their services and sacrifices would always be remembered. Dar also called for stronger national institutions. He urged the people to maintain national unity and work together for the country’s progress. He stressed the need to fully utilise the abilities and potential of Pakistan’s people. He said collective efforts were essential to building a strong and prosperous future.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday reserved its verdict on the maintainability of a petition challenging the delay in the approval of judicial appointments for high courts across the country. Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir heard the petition filed by advocate Luqman Zafar Chaudhary through his counsel Zahid Asif Chaudhry. The petitioner requested the court to direct President Asif Ali Zardari to approve a summary forwarded by the prime minister for the appointment of 19 additional judges and the confirmation of five judges in the Islamabad, Lahore, Sindh, Balochistan and Peshawar high courts. During the hearing, the petitioner’s lawyer argued that the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) had recommended the appointments during its meetings held on July 20 and 21. He said the summary was later sent to the president for approval, but no decision has been made despite the passage of more than two weeks. The counsel maintained that the delay is affecting the functioning of the superior judiciary. He informed the court that the tenure of an additional judge of the Sindh High Court has already expired, while the terms of four additional judges of the Peshawar High Court are expected to end within the coming days. The lawyer also told the court that reports suggest the government may issue notifications regarding the appointments within the next 48 hours. Justice Tahir repeatedly questioned whether a constitutional petition could legally be maintained against the president. He asked the petitioner’s counsel to cite any previous court ruling in which a writ had been issued against the president regarding the exercise of constitutional powers. The court observed that the judgments presented by the petitioner did not support the argument that courts could direct the president in matters governed by Article 48 of the Constitution. Justice Tahir asked whether any legal precedent existed requiring the president to act on such matters through a judicial order. The petitioner’s counsel argued that Article 48 requires the president to act on the advice of the prime minister or the cabinet. He maintained that the president has no independent authority to indefinitely delay judicial appointments once the Judicial Commission has completed its recommendations. The lawyer further argued that the Ministry of Law is the competent authority to issue appointment notifications after the completion of the constitutional process. He claimed that the president’s role in the appointment process is largely formal and that unnecessary delays should not hinder the functioning of the judiciary. The petitioner requested the court to seek responses from the federal government, the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Law regarding the status of the pending summary. However, the court declined to issue notices at this stage.

Governor of Punjab Sardar Saleem Haider Khan has said that those who had been supporting the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government in implementing its policies and defending its decisions had reached the limits of their endurance. Speaking to a delegation of the Pakistan English Media Association (PEMA) at the Governor’s House on Monday, he said the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had now assumed the role of an opposition party and would continue to function as a genuine opposition until the next general elections, scheduled for 2029. PEMA Chairman Zulqernain Tahir and President Rameez Khan led the delegation, which also included Secretary General Ali Raza and members Mubashir Bokhari, Babar Dogar, Shahar Bano, Mubashar Hassan, Faisal Ali Ghumman and Samiullah Randhwa. He made it clear that the PPP would not return to the present coalition arrangement following the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections and would instead play the role of an effective opposition, particularly in Punjab. Mr Khan said the PPP had never favoured coalition governments as a means of running the country, even during the previous parliamentary term. Although the party was widely regarded as an ally of the PML-N-led government, he said it was, in practice, steadily moving into opposition. He maintained that those backing the present government appeared increasingly powerless in the face of poor governance and allegations of corruption. Responding to a question, the PPP leader said internal differences within the party had been resolved to enable it to function as a more effective opposition. Mr Khan also dismissed speculation over a power-sharing arrangement at the federal level, saying there was no written agreement under which Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would serve for two and a half years before handing over office to Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for the remainder of the term. He said there could be no disagreement that the people of Pakistan were grappling with rising unemployment and persistent inflation. The PPP, he added, would continue to raise these issues publicly to mobilise support while also exerting political pressure on the PML-N government to improve its performance and deliver meaningful relief to the public.