PM Abbasi holds meeting with CJP Nisar

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi held a meeting with Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Mian Saqib Nisar at Supreme Court building here on Tuesday. Earlier, SC Spokesman confirmed the meeting will take place at Supreme Court building in the evening today. Sources said PM Abbasi arrived at Supreme Court building without protocol. Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar welcomed PM Abbasi at the Judges’ gate of the apex court. The premier and the chief justice held one-on-one meeting for two hours, sources said. The meeting was not scheduled till 5:00 PM in the evening, sources said and added that there were reports PM Abbasi and the Chief Justice discussed judicial reforms. PM Abbasi and CJP Justice Saqib Nisar also exchanged views over better interaction among the state institutions, upcoming general elections, delimitation of constituencies, caretaker government setup besides legal and constitutional matters, the sources added.Meanwhile, Opposition leader in the National Assembly, Syed Khursheed Shah has said the meeting between the prime minister and chief justice was not an unprecedented move, such meeting had also taken place in the past as well. He, however, said the timing of the meeting was inappropriate and it will raise speculations as several cases against the government were being heard in the apex court. The meeting was arranged on the request of the prime minister, received through the Attorney General for Pakistan, said a Supreme Court press release.The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere in the chamber of the Chief Justice of Pakistan at 7:00 pm. The prime minister showed keen interest in providing all possible assistance in revamping the judicial system of Pakistan as visualized by the chief justice. The prime minister assured the chief justice that the government would provide all resources to judiciary in order to enable it to provide easy, speedy and inexpensive justice to the masses. The prime minister also informed the chief justice that the Council of Common Interest had approved the water policy which would help in fruition of chief justice’s efforts in that direction. The chief justice assured the prime minister that the judiciary would continue to perform its constitutional duties independently, fairly, transparently, without fear or favour and strictly in accordance with law.