Vandalism at HC

Syed Hamde Ali.The Nawab Palace, Bogra
Those of us who have not been legally trained stand as mute witnesses to the confusion that reigned recently at the High Court premises. The chaos was the result of the Chief Justice's order to stay the proceedings on three petitions before the court, minutes before a verdict was to have been delivered. One group of lawyers has taken one position on the matter and another the opposite position, and we have no way of determining who is right.

It remains to be seen whether or not the Chief Justice had the power to stay these proceedings at that stage. Let us assume that he did, and that it was legal, but was it right? In the question of the legality of the President's assuming the position of the Chief Adviser to the Caretaker Government, it is obviously a matter of considerable seriousness and requires clarification. The final interpreter of the Constitution is the High Court, and the opinion of the learned Justices could have finally resolved this issue. On what grounds could the Honourable Chief Justice justify a stay of the proceedings, and with what motive? Bearing in mind the short time of the Caretaker Government's tenure, how could such a delay possibly help the situation? Bearing in mind the manner in which the stay was obtained, with the presence and possibly connivance of senior members of the former government, is it really surprising that such a hue and cry arose, allowing a chaotic mob of people to take out their frustrations by vandalising offices and vehicles?

Who should really take the blame for the incident?