On Monday, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz commented that the recent comments from two Supreme Court judges regarding Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial’s power confirmed her party’s stance on “bench-fixing”. During a PML-N spokesperson meeting, Maryam asked, “If the constitution of the [Supreme Court] bench is not fair, then how will the decision be considered fair?” This statement came after two judges from the five-member larger bench, who were hearing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s petition over the postponement of elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, questioned the powers of the Chief Justice of Pakistan, stating that the apex court “cannot be dependent on the solitary decision of one man, the Chief Justice.” In their 27-page ruling, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail stated that it is crucial “to revisit the power of ‘one-man show’ enjoyed by the office of the Chief Justice of Pakistan”. These remarks were made right after the country’s top court had issued notice to the Election Commission of Pakistan and adjourned the hearing on the Imran Khan-led party’s petition, challenging the ECP’s orders to put off Punjab Assembly elections till October 8.
Maryam urged her party members to expose Imran Khan’s supporters in the judiciary and highlighted that unfair and vindictive decisions against Nawaz Sharif will be brought before the public. She further said that all the facts about Imran Khan and his supporters should be made public, adding that the judiciary’s treatment of Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan is not equal, and evidence of injustice with Nawaz Sharif is now surfacing. Maryam also criticized Imran Khan’s 10-point agenda, which he presented during his party’s power show at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore, stating that it includes ten lies instead of ten-point plans. She mentioned that the previous Khan-led government destroyed the economy, and no jobs were created, and not a single home was given to the people out of the promised five million. Maryam concluded that it is time to think about the country’s future, and Imran Khan wants to divert public attention from his corruption cases, which include allegations involving foreign funding, Toshakhana, and his alleged daughter Tyrion White.
