ISLAMABAD, Oct 09 (NNI): Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa on Wednesday remarked that most of the things in Pakistan were done illegally and unconstitutionally.
He made these remarks during the hearing of Diamir Bhasha and Mohmand Dam Fund case.
A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, conducted the hearing, where the court was informed that the dam fund currently holds over Rs23 billion, with Rs11 billion as the principal amount and over Rs12 billion in markup.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan has sought actionable suggestions from the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), the Auditor General, and the Attorney General for the proper utilization of the funds in the Dams Fund case.
Additional attorney general informed the court that the apex court couldn’t keep the dam fund amount, adding that the SC registrar was responsible for taking care of the account. He said that no irregularity was reported in the dam fund and markup.
The additional attorney general told the apex court that fund had total Rs23 billion with Rs11 billion as donations and Rs12 billion as markup amount.
The Chief Justice Isa criticized this practice, calling it an “eye-opener,” and questioned why the government is essentially benefiting itself.
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) legal advisor informed the court that the fund’s money is managed by the government, and any funds allocated for WAPDA must go through the public account.
SC Justice Naeem Afghan raised concerns about the financial state of the government and the potential risk if the funds are not given to WAPDA.
The chief justice also questioned the legality of the Supreme Court’s execution bench, suggesting that there is no mention of such a bench in the Constitution. He reiterated that his oath is to implement the constitution, not merely court decisions.
The court adjourned the hearing until Friday (October 11), requesting the parties involved to propose workable solutions for the efficient use of the dam fund. NNI
