ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) parliamentary leader in the Senate, Barrister Ali Zafar, stated on Thursday that courts should remain out of politics.
His comments followed a visit by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Chief Justice Afridi’s residence, where the premier was invited to discuss the agenda for the upcoming National Judicial Policymaking Committee (NJPMC) meeting. Last week, the CJP invited both PM Shehbaz and Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan to propose improvements to the justice system, which will be addressed in the NJPMC meeting.
Speaking on a News Channel’ “Capital Talk” program, Barrister Zafar emphasized that such meetings should be a one-off occurrence, not a regular practice. He expressed concern that routine meetings of this nature could give the impression of political involvement.
“It is correct that the Chief Justice has invited the opposition to the meeting, and I am part of that delegation. I am going to Islamabad to meet him tomorrow at his residence,” he added. Zafar also highlighted the unusual nature of the meetings, stating, “I’ve never seen a Chief Justice meet with both government and opposition delegations before.” He suggested that the meetings might aim to align the government and opposition, but reiterated that they should remain exceptional to avoid perceptions of politicization.
Addressing the upcoming PTI rally, Barrister Zafar clarified that the party’s event would not conflict with the ongoing ICC event, but claimed that the PTI was being prevented from holding rallies in Punjab. He also accused the current government of employing tactics of “political victimization” that were more severe than those used during past dictatorial regimes.
“The PTI will stage protests after Eid ul Fitr,” he confirmed, adding that the government would collapse if pending cases were processed.
On February 19, during a meeting with the PM, the Chief Justice assured that input from opposition parties on judicial reforms would be considered. The PM was accompanied by several ministers, including Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Cheema. The CJP outlined the agenda for the NJPMC meeting and emphasized the goal of reducing case backlogs and ensuring speedy justice.
The CJP informed the Prime Minister that he also intended to seek input from opposition parties to ensure bipartisan support for judicial reforms, which would make the reforms more sustainable and impactful. The PM appreciated the reform package and agreed to provide government input soon.
Separately, a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office noted that PM Shehbaz praised the CJP’s initiative to visit remote regions and consult with stakeholders for effective justice delivery. The PM also highlighted the long-standing tax disputes in courts and requested timely decisions on these cases. Additionally, he urged the Chief Justice to accelerate measures regarding missing persons.
