Punjab govt to decide on sending Imran’s case to military court: law minister

ISLAMABAD: Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, the federal minister for law and justice, said on Thursday that if necessary, the Punjab government will send Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder and chairman Imran Khan’s case to a military court.

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“The Punjab government is prosecuting the May 9 cases, and the provincial government will decide whether to refer the case to a military court,” he said in an informal press conference at the Presidency on Thursday, following President Asif Ali Zardari’s conferment of Hilal-i-Imtiaz on Olympic gold medalist Arshad Nadeem.

Tarar stated that the case of Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed did not fall under the scope of the Law Ministry because he was being prosecuted under the Army Act.

In response to a query, the law minister stated unequivocally that no surprise legislation was in the works, dismissing rumors of a constitutional revision in a joint session of Parliament. He explained that a constitutional amendment cannot be enacted or submitted in a joint session of Parliament. He stated that if a constitutional modification is to be submitted, it must be introduced separately in both chambers of parliament and passed by a two-thirds majority. “Media should avoid speculations and show responsibility,” the politician stated.

He stated that hundreds of laws authorized by one chamber of parliament but not passed by the other within 90 days will be presented in the future joint sitting.

He stated that hundreds of laws authorized by one chamber of parliament but not passed by the other within 90 days will be presented in the future joint sitting.

To a question about extending the tenure of Pakistan’s Chief Justice, Qazi Faez Isa, the law minister stated that no such proposal was presently being considered. “It is not for me to decide whether the term of chief justice will be extended or not,” stated the law professor.

Tarar answered to a query on JUIF politician Noor Alam Khan’s private member bill to remove the contempt of court rule by saying that he personally did not favor its removal. “The Contempt of Court Act is designed to meet the requirements of Article 204 of the Constitution,” he told reporters. He stated that if a member wishes to present a measure on a private member’s day, it cannot be prohibited.