Pakistan's Chief Justice halts immediate release of Supreme Court registrar

Islamabad: Pakistan's Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial Tuesday directed the registrar of the Supreme Court to not relinquish the charge of his office amidst the worsening row between the government and the top judiciary in the coup-prone country.

Chief Justice Bandial took the step after the cabinet removed Ishrat Ali, ordering him to report at the Establishment Division, the top government offices supervising the transfer and posting of senior officers, Dunya News reported.

The row began when the Cabinet on Monday threw its weight behind the senior Supreme Court judge Justice Qazi Faez Isa who had ordered Ali's removal the other day.

Ali had irked Justice Isa by issuing a circular of Bandial in which he disregarded the judgment of Isa of March 31 regarding taking up suo motu actions.

The Express Tribune newspaper reported that the face-off between the government and Justice Bandial escalated soon after the top judge of the country continued hearing PTI’s plea against the delay in holding elections in Punjab.

Taking advantage of the apparent schism between Bandial and some judges, the cabinet hurriedly gathered at the Prime Minister House on Monday evening in a special meeting to discuss the two-point agenda – one being the removal of the SC registrar as desired by Justice Isa.

The special cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, considered the registrar issuing a circular against the order of Justice Isa.

Following the discussion, the cabinet decided to withdraw the services of registrar and directed him to report to the Establishment Division – an apparent attempt to embarrass CJP and convey the message that things have reached a point of no return.

The federal cabinet's decision to remove SC registrar came hours before a three-member bench of the apex court comprising CJP Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar reserved the judgment in Punjab polls' delay case.

The judgement announced on Tuesday set aside the order to delay elections and ordered to hold the same on May 14, leaving the government in the lurch.

It is believed that the latest judgment may further stir up the tension between the executive and judiciary to destabilize the country when it needs calm to tackle a sinking economy and deteriorating security situation.