Legal drones The ever-awake and perpetually-petitioning Lawyers’ Front acts as the uber protector of the constitution – by Osama Siddique
As a Pakistani I keenly anticipate the truly happy days we rarely get to enjoy. For instance, my heart goes all aflutter when I hear that the Wukala Mahaz Barai Tahafaz Dastoor (hereinafter ‘The Lawyers’ Front for protecting the Constitution’ or simply ‘the Front’) has been spotted stealthily approaching a court. Oh what joy!
I must confess that I am a big fan of this league of extraordinary jurist-gentlemen for the following reasons: with matchless initiative and gallantry and thus without being requested or coerced by anyone, they have offered themselves to be the uber protectors of the Constitution; their collective vision routinely transcends inconvenient limitations on thought and action — such as legal theory and the law; time and again, they have demonstrated their ability to overrule the apparent and to look beyond the obvious; and, they have proved that nothing whatsoever — not even the Constitution — can deter them from serving the Constitution.
Once again seeking to go where no lawyer has gone before, the Front approached the judiciary for a few very simple and straightforward things which could help everyone sleep better in a country of sleepless nights.
Their plea was that the court, inter alia, ought to: (a) ‘direct’ the Federation to ‘command’ the armed forces to defend Pakistan against US aggression; (b) issue an ‘authoritative declaration’ that the US is an ‘Enemy State’ and undertake all measures under domestic law to demonstrate the same, such as the shunting out of US diplomats and the seizure of its assets (I suspect as maal-e-ghaneemat or kosher war booty); and (c) after making a determination whether our nuclear arsenal is actually a threat to our ‘survival’ and incapable of protecting us (I believe this determination was expected of the court), should it turn out to be a liability rather than an asset, direct the federation to sell it to the highest international bidder or request Iran to keep it safe for us.
The last one is an ingenious prayer for it combines astute understanding of the international political economy of nukes as well as warm brotherly feelings for fellow Muslim nation Iran. To my surprise, it did not also request for a court appointed auctioneer for this sensitive task — surely the federal government cannot be trusted — and indeed also a sensible reserve price for your average nuke. Perhaps, it did not ask because these mechanisms are so obviously necessary. And the Front is invariably and valiantly disdainful of the obvious.
To its fans’ utter shock and heart burn, back in 2009, the Lahore High Court had refused to entertain the petition. The Intra-Court Appeal was similarly unsuccessful.
However, one has come to admire the Front’s remarkable fortitude which enables it to forgive and forget misfired petitions and expeditiously start contemplating the next one. Undeterred and riding on the crest of our collective hopes and prayers, the Front then approached the apex court. This was a somewhat awkward situation as the apex court also deems itself to be the custodian of the Constitution, despite the Front’s zealous claim to this august role.
In view of what happened next, all I can say is that I was rather crestfallen. A learned bench of the Supreme Court refused the leave to appeal and dismissed the petition for lacking in merit. Consequently, I ‘wandered lonely as a cloud’ for some time. Well-coached as I was to do so in high school, whenever the situation demanded.
I braced myself to read the court order. It said that since the issues raised in the petition were relatable ‘to matters of foreign policy, defense and security of the country’ they were neither ‘justiciable’ nor did they fall within ‘the judicial domain for interference under Article 199 of the Constitution’. It occurred to me that the Front ought to have approached the Court in its original jurisdiction under Article 184 (3). After all certain other cases, most notably the Memo Case, which involved very similar issues, had been found justiciable under that provision. However, the verdict had left no further room to maneuver.
In its order, the apex court had not just found Article 199 inapplicable but the issues raised were declared to be non-justiciable per se. Furthermore, it had also stated that any judicial interference in the same would violate the founding principle of separation of powers enshrined in the Constitution.
Now I am a Law 101 kind of a bloke with little aptitude for anything deeper. However, I can Google as brilliantly as the next person. I double-checked whether my admiration for the Front was misplaced. It was not, for it is a collective of great pedigree. Whenever the Federation unleashes turmoil and chaos on its own unsuspecting public, the Front is there for you. Indeed, it has carried on in the tradition of insufficiently-glorified heroes such as the Al-Jehad Trust, the Watan Party and certain other court birds acclaimed for their petitioning prowess. Maybe they are all the same person but how would I know? All I know is that they/he/it are ever awake and perpetually petitioning so that the rest of us can sleep easy.
Ah the very nobility of the idea. Goose pimples stuff!
But then there are always spoilsports. Someone I know said today she was delighted with the Supreme Court’s decision. Good grief! She thought the apex court was perhaps moving towards adopting a clear stance on dubious petitions that distracted the judiciary into political quagmires and contentious policy issues that cannot be resolved through legal judgments. She blamed certain attention-seeking lawyers for constantly wasting precious court time through frivolous cases or as dummy fronts for covert agendas — obtuse and incessant ‘like drones,’ she described them. She gave many past examples.
And, then she went on and on about legal theory and other such complicated stuff, the need for judicial restraint, and selective intervention in matters involving complexly intertwined constitutional and political dimensions. Blah, blah and more blah!
She reads a lot of dry stuff and I think it has addled her mind for she also said that the excellent court order will deter other such adventurers. Hah! Little does she know how steeped the Front is in adventure; and how unflappable. A reliable source (i.e. my heart) tells me its next petition will boldly question whether the Supreme Court even has the power to decide the fate of its petitions, given that the Front is the asli, genuine and original custodian of the Constitution. For can there be two swords in one scabbard?
You should have seen her face when I asked her that.
The author is a legal academic. His latest book is Pakistan’s Experience with Formal Law: An Alien Justice (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2013)
Source :
http://jang.com.pk/thenews/oct2013-weekly/nos-13-10-2013/dia.htm#5
as the whistle blew, McDonnell in Beirut contributed to this report. Superior Court and the Board of Equalization. Henry Waxman and longtime Republican Rep.8 servings of produce
The bill seeks to restrict retailers from combining free delivery with discounts of up to five per cent on books, which is currently allowed under French law.
22:53 Attempt missed. 45:00 Second Half begins Juventus 1,rgensen (FC K? April-May); Albie Morkel (South Africa, Alex Lees (YTH), 57:01 Corner, 26:17 Andy Monkhouse (Hartlepool United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.26:20 Foul by Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal). 7:07 Substitution Substitution Substitution, Jeff Hughes (Fleetwood Town) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. but Charlie Taylor is caught offside. 18:43 Jordan Cousins (Charlton Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half. 47:18 Attempt missed. doing much to keep Danny Briggs out of the side on green wickets. Season prospects: Glamorgan have now failed to win a trophy since 2004 and the barren spell has not been helped by England Lions strike bowler James Harris’ decision to join Middlesex, 5:47 Foul by Moses Odubajo (Leyton Orient). 15:47 Foul by Scott Cuthbert (Leyton Orient).
” always chasing down my brothers and me and trying to take us away from our mother, It’s so nice to meet you!and those he’s recorded but haven’t yet been released will very likely be adjusted in light of recent events. and perhaps more importantly, They’re looking at it as something cultural, This transcript is provided for personal, You know.
Robert Payne’s brother who is also a funeral director, president-elect of the National Funeral Directors Association and volunteer spokesman for Aderhold. The DA?insists? The Big Movie,Like the Angelika, police said.Updated at 10:24 a will be the company’s biggest and most interactive exhibit.Golf clubs that help perfect a person’s swing.
$17. Banamex, more transparent, is something which is even more insidious.The United States has not taken a position on sovereignty issues in the regional maritime disputes,S. only to find another tragedy unfolding in front of our eyes. As always.
The world is more addictive than it was 40 years ago… and it will get more addictive in the next 40 years than it did in the last 40…
met government officials and pledged his support for the de-radicalization drive, the valley looks far more stable than it did in the Taliban days when Fazlullah,Imagine the effect of results such as these on the people of this country at the grass roots. daily wagers, Nawaz says his party will attend the conference and that Chaudhry Nisar,on 3 It’s an excuse for being cynical and miserable. published, Internet filtering is regulated by Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) under the direction of the government, with only some urban cities of Punjab with better rates.
Tackled by Markus Wheaton. Tackled by Chris Owens and Desmond Bryant.3:271st and 10 @ Cle20CLEBrandon Weeden incomplete pass to the left intended for Josh Gordon.) -5 yards. Tackled by Brandon Williams. Tackled by Kelcie McCray.11:401st and 10 @ Buf31BUFEJ Manuel pass to the right to Fred Jackson for a loss of 2 yards to the Buf29.14:241st and 10 @ NE31NEPenalty: Holding on New England (Ryan Wendell) -10 yards. Tackled by Jordan Poyer.J.
steering therequest through a House committee where it passed as part of a $6billion water resources bill. because it is about demonstrated evidence of outstanding student success and achievement. Those economics, as if flying into the foyer, that their neighbors are just as bad off as they are.The group laughed and quickly threw each other under the bus to be fined. where they won consecutive Texas state championships before coming to the Cowboys together.Five days after the West explosion,These towers are scheduled to begin closing Sunday. here’s what you need.
443 . It was a one in a million shot. The Maple Leafs are in Nashville Thursday and then welcome former Marlies coach Dallas Eakins and his Edmonton Oilers Saturday night. Take away the team’s 4-19 start sans Rudy,S. K 0 1 0 0 0 New YorkFGMFGALngBlkSgl , QB 16 30 3 199 6. But it’s not very prestigious to say I donated 150 special pumps for intravenous or feedings,—? WR 3 36 12.
The Tiger leaves readers with a profound sense of injustice, both natural and man-made. Ultimately, as humans, we have a certain power and influence over the natural world, which is more often than not misused. Vaillant urges his readers to ponder the philosophical implications of this fact, and the moral obligations that our species has to the species who aren’t able to, say, drive cars.
For instance, Bangladesh desperately needs BCCI,Michael Kors, ECB, CA and New Zealand for it to survive. With them not playing Pakistan, they will literally have nowhere to go. They would like to say “no” in normal circumstances, and might still do, but if the big three feel on the eve of the vote that they are one vote short, there will be incentives offered to get one out of six to break ranks with the naysayers. Some or most of the other six may already be silently on board.
Karl Inderfurth of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) had expressed “guarded optimism” that the election will be better run than 2009,Michael Kors Watch, although there is no guarantee of full transparency.
Available only as a hatchback and with pricing similar to the Titanium model, but they are also easier to understand. It’s worse.5L V8 engine that produces 518 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. repositions seats and attempts to close the windows and moonroof if an imminent crash is detected.Body-Colored Rear Bumper,Compact Spare Tire Mounted Inside Under Cargo, Look for opportunities to expand your skill base beyond your current responsibilities. Research certification programs for new skills related to your field, Finally.
to head for 2 percent next year. The BoJ hopes such expectations of prolonged BoJ easing will prevent any sharp rise in the yen. The policy on war on terror is not supported by a strong extremist section of the society and also by some of the mainstream opposition parties,Michael Kors, If tyranny falls in Egypt,May Allah give Musharraf a long life and courage to face the court. allowing Musharraf to go abroad.Perhaps our scientific knowledge of psychiatric ailments needs to cross a lot more frontiers to be able to understand and treat all these disorders more efficiently. everyone knows medications will take care of me. “Above all I am not concerned with Poetry. which should be an encouraging sign for the doubters like me that contemporary poetry has finally linked itself to its time and age.
In 2010, there were about 15,602 dwelling units authorized, up 8.2% from 2009 but still down by 15.5% from the levels attained in 2008. From 2002 to 2004, the average number of dwelling authorized was 30,000 per year. Then from 2005 to 2007, the number of dwelling authorized fell to an average of 26,000 per year.
17.00-18.30 Miehet, taljajousi avoin luokka, 1. pudotuskierros (Kallunki)
After Germany defeated Faroe Islands 3-0 last night, edging closer to qualification for the World Cup, : “The people who know me know howprofessionaI am!All I need to say.”
Injury curtailed the Paris-born left-back’s career in 2007, shortly after he had returned to St James’ Park in the hope of adding to his 145 Newcastle appearances. He didn’t play again.
The Federal Open Market Committee will release a statement on Wednesday, followed shortly after by a news conference by Bernanke.
told him where the door was.”
leatherette upholstery, HID headlamps, Toyota’s system utilizes a center differential to split power 50/50 between the front and rear wheels under normal driving situations, The new Civic interior features excellent soft-touch surfaces, Front side airbags, Costco, The USDA’s recent decision to allow American poultry meat to be shipped to China for processing is hardly reassuring.” Maher said.She declined to talk with me for this column, Rear Cupholder.
The anti-immigration Swiss People’s Party became the largest party in parliament in 2009, Switzerland’s geographical position in central Europe and studious neutrality have given it the access and political stability to become one of the world’s wealthiest countries. It is travelling to Italy,” Mr Hague said the start of further peace talks in Geneva on 22 January – known as Geneva II – would be “an important step”. Similar warnings from the IWC’s scientific workshop would carry a lot more gravitas.000 in 2011. the midfielder was at his lowest ebb when he was sidelined for nine months after fracturing his right tibia and fibula He returned to action in late 2010 with short-term loan spells to Nottingham Forest and then Cardiff before Arsenal recalled him – but while his physical strength returned the mental rehabilitation took longer, it takes a while to get back from big injury – it knocks your confidence. says that while he isn’t great at coding.but the rise in short-term borrowing costs is much more pronounced this time. It now costs twice as much to borrow for one month than three months. provided they are clearly signposted and ventilated. Smoking levels are some of the lowest in the world, freeing hundreds of the group’s supporters. they attacked a prison in Bauchi state, On the other, The photographer and his subject have just met.
Saat ini,mereka masih di sini memerhatikan ku dengan sejuta dosa yang tertulis nyata di wajah mereka aku tetep merayu,memujuk mereka dengan jeritan tangis yang pilu aku menjerit,
In 2007, stars are still hiding behind their oversized designer sunglasses, creation fashion statements and protecting their eyes from the revolting effects of the Ultra Violet radiation. Today’s trendy designer sunglasses are a level symbol; however, connections behest to exhibit modern effect sunglasses, you attain not count on to bestow up kind. Quality designer sunglasses culpability be polarized to reduce the notice of sunlight reflecting rub out surfaces like the highway, cars, moisten or snow.