NA adopts motion seeking judicial reference against CJP.

ISLAMABAD: The schism between elected lawmakers and the top judiciary appeared to grow larger as the Parliament on Monday unanimously adopted a motion seeking a judicial reference against Chief Justice (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, while the defence minister called for a parliamentary probe into the judiciary's 'biased conduct'. The house unanimously adopted the motion seeking formation of a special committee to file a reference against the CJP in the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) for his misconduct and deviating from oath. The motion, which was moved by Dr Shazia Sobia, was adopted by the House. The members included Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha, Khursheed Junejo, Shehnaz Baloch, and Salahuddin Ayubi.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif demanded the formation of a parliamentary committee to investigate the judiciary's undue support to a specific person - former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan - as well as sending a reference to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) under Article 209 of the Constitution on the matter. speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, the defence minister said that the time has come for Parliament to play its constitutional role in this situation. "In the 75-year history of the country's judiciary, there had been incidents that have had a profound impact on the country, but recently a group in the judiciary started supporting a political group," he said.

Asif said that political...