SC gives veiled threat to Pak govt over non-implementation of NRO verdict

ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court of Pakistan has warned the federal government that if it fails to implement the SC’s verdict annulling the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) “in letter and spirit”, the apex court will be forced to take “some decision”.

A three-member bench consisting of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Tariq Parvez and Justice Ghulam Rabbani was hearing a suo motu notice initiated to examine the implementation of the NRO verdict, the Daily Times reported.

During the hearing, CJ Chaudhry warned, “If you start deviating from the constitution and the apex court’s judgments, then you are not doing good.”

“This is the judgment under the constitution, hence certain things are required to be done in letter and spirit,” he observed.

In the absence of Law Secretary Masood Chishti despite a notice to appear before the court, the apex court directed Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq to submit the contents of the summary, moved by the law secretary and duly approved by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, before the bench on Monday.

“But kindly tell us Mr Attorney General, whether the judgment on the NRO has been implemented or has the PM taken a decision to deviate from the judgment,” the CJ asked.

“The PM is a wise man, he must know the consequences of non-implementation of the NRO verdict,” the CJ said, observing that if the court’s decisions were not implemented today, nobody, including police or criminals, would accept its orders tomorrow.

Justice Tariq Parvez directed the NAB deputy prosecutor general to make a chart of the NRO beneficiaries, containing their convictions, and produce it before the court in the next hearing on September 27. (ANI)