detailed judgement in 6 constitutional petitions regarding Seventeenth Amendment and said that this court must have due regard for the democratic mandate given to Parliament by the people. The full bench of the Apex Court heard the case and announced short orders on 13 April 2005 after hearing the case for six days. However, it did say, It is not for this court to substitute its views for those expressed by legislators or strike down statutes on consideration of what it deems good for the people. This court is and always has been the judge of what is constitutional but not of what is wise or good. The latter is the business of Parliament, which is accountable to the people. Former Chief Justice of Pakistan Nasim Hasan Shah giving his remarks in a TV program said that, The military holds the rifle and the court cannot go against the rifle. Responding to that, Chief Justice Nazim Hussain Siddiqui remarked that personal opinion of an individual could not be attributed to the whole judiciary. Shahbaaz Sharif's return to Lahore As chief justice Siddiqui took the petition of former Punjab chief minister regarding permission to return to Pakistan. The court had issued notices to the federal government, the Punjab government and the director immigration for their comments on two petitions filed by Shahbaz Sharif. The short orders read, "For reasons to be recorded later on, both these petitions are dismissed with an observation that the petitioner may come back from abroad subject to the law of the country." The order also observed, "During the course of argument, the learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner is ready to face the cases registered against him. He also stated that the petitioner will not mind even if he is arrested at the airport." Chief Justice Nazim Hussain Siddiqui said that the petitioner, being a citizen of Pakistan, has a natural and inherent right to enter and return to the country, which is guaranteed under Article 15 of the Constitution. Under Article 4 of the Constitution, he has a right to be dealt with in accordance with law and is entitled to enjoy the equal protection of law. However, Shahbaz Sharif was eventually not allowed to leave the Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore by the government citing National Security issues and was boarded in a plane to leave Pakistan. Asif Ali Zardari Asif