PFUJ outmanoeuvres government
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) deftly foiled the plan of certain elements in the government to pitch journalists against the judiciary on the Saleem Shahzad murder issue.
Instead of getting dragged into the controversy surrounding the setting up of a commission under a Supreme Court judge, the PFUJ, in a smart move, has filed a petition in the Supreme Court. Renowned human rights activist and president Supreme Court Bar Association Asma Jehangir in a recent statement has said that the government has tried to use the journalists to achieve its own objectives.
Journalists on June 1 had given the government a 10-day deadline to form a judicial commission headed by a judge of the Supreme Court. After initial dithering the government first said it would set up a commission headed by a judge of the Federal Shariat Court, which the journalists did not accept.
Later, as the deadline ended, the government on June 16 announced formation of a commission headed by Justice Mian Saqib Nisar of the Supreme Court. The PFUJ quickly realised that the government has nominated Justice Mian Saqib Nisar without getting approval from the Chief Justice.
President National Press Club Afzal Butt said that after the refusal of Justice Mian Saqib Nisar to head the commission, the journalists decided to file a petition in the Supreme Court. “We have full faith in the independence of the judiciary and we have approached the Supreme Court for justice after we failed to get it from the government,” he added.
Source: The News
Date:6/18/2011
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