Review of the short order of this Court, announced on 13 January 2024, and of its detailed reasons, which were issued on 25 January 2024 is sought through this review petition.
2. An 'Application for Adjournment' has been submitted by Mr. Anis Muhammad Shahzad, Advocate-on-Record on the ground that, 'Mr. Hamid Khan, Senior ASC, has pressing family engagement at Lahore on 11.10.2024'. The nature of the pressing family engagement is not disclosed. The learned AOR is also not in attendance. Learned counsel must know that merely filing an adjournment application does not mean that the case will be adjourned.
3. The petitioners were represented by Advocates of the Supreme Court ('ASCs') a couple of whom themselves are ASCs, respectively, Senior Advocate Mr. Hamid Khan, and ASCs Messrs Syed Ali Zafar, Gohar Ali Khan, Ajmal Ghaffar Toor, Niazullah Khan Niazi. Mr. Muhammad Sharif Janjua was the Advocate-on-Record earlier and in the review petition it is Mr. Anis Muhammad Shahzad.
Therefore, if Senior Advocate Mr. Hamid Khan, as stated, had some pressing family engagement any of the other learned ASCs could have attended and proceeded with the case. Moreover, section 6 of the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act, 2023 now enables engagement of other counsel in a review petition, which was not permissible earlier.
4. In the circumstances, we are not persuaded to adjourn the case, however, in the interest of justice and only by way of indulgence we do so but make it clear that no further request for adjournment will be entertained, and we expect that the case to proceed on the next date.
5. In view of the fact that two Members of this Bench will not be available at Islamabad next week, we adjourn this case to Monday, 21 October 2024. Copy of this order be sent to the learned ASCs, learned AORs and to the review petitioners.