The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has asked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to evaluate the appointment of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Hanif Abbasi as a special assistant to the prime minister.
IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the petition filed by former interior minister Sheikh Rashid against Abbasi’s appointment.
The IHC CJ summoned Rashid and expressed regret regarding the allegations made against courts at political rallies.
“Do you and your ally Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf have confidence in the Islamabad High Court?” the IHC CJ asked. “Maybe PTI does not trust the court. Political statements are made at rallies questioning why courts opened at night. It is said that the courts open at the behest of someone,” he said.
Rashid said he had approached the court because he trusted it, to which Justice Minallah replied that the court would hear his petition in that case.
The IHC CJ again brought up the statements made at political rallies, highlighting it was said that the courts were not independent. “Your lawyers must have informed you that there are rules and the chief justice can take up a case at any time,” he told Rashid.
Later, the court gave notices to the federation via the Cabinet division secretary and Hanif Abbasi on the petition against his appointment as the SAPM.
The hearing was adjourned till May 17.
