He has damaged the country more than Justice Munir, says former president

Bureau Report

LAHORE: Former president and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf  (PTI) leader Dr Arif Alvi has accused Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa of creating an atmosphere conducive to floor-crossing, driven by a “lust” to extend his tenure.

Alvi likened Isa’s actions to those of the current government, which he alleged is “ruining the Constitution for its survival.”

“I have never seen a chief justice like Faez Isa in my life,” Alvi said while speaking to reporters at the Anti-Terrorism Court, where he met with PTI lawmakers arrested in connection with the May 9 riots following the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan.

Alvi went on to criticise the chief justice, stating, “He has damaged the country more than Justice Munir,” referencing the controversial former judge who was criticised for judicial overreach in the 1950s.

The former president expressed concern over what he described as a “bazar of cruelty,” claiming that the CJP had opened “a market for buying and selling people, like how slaves were once sold in America.”

Alvi also questioned the timing of the invocation of Article 63-A, which deals with defection, claiming it was unnecessary and only served to prolong Faez Isa’s tenure. He stressed the need for judicial reforms in the lower courts to provide justice to the public, instead of what he saw as efforts to extend each other’s tenures.

Regarding PTI’s rallies, Alvi said that the police were solely responsible for the violence and chaos at the rallies. “PTI’s rallies are peaceful; it’s the police who create anarchy,” he stated.

When asked about the ongoing situation in Gaza and Palestine, Alvi thanked Iran for its response to Israel and urged Muslim countries not to forget the plight of Muslims in Gaza, Palestine, and Kashmir.

“Israel is acting like a hooligan, and Muslims must stand united. Quaid-e-Azam’s vision was for a single state with a Palestinian majority,” he said.