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Pak CJI says SC will issue 'reasonable order' on crisis, Imran calls PTI meet tomorrow
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial said the court will consider the legality of the current situation and issue a "reasonable order". He further said, "The speaker has discretion to reject a dissolution.”
The Pakistan Supreme Court on Monday resumed its hearing into a suo moto notice over the ongoing political limbo after National Assembly (NA) deputy speaker Qasim Suri dismissed a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan a day ago, following which parliament was dissolved.
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial said the court will consider the legality of the current situation and issue a "reasonable order". He further said, "The speaker has discretion to reject a dissolution.”
A larger bench, comprising the CJP, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel, Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, were currently hearing the matter.
In another development, Khan summoned a meeting of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Parliamentary Board on Tuesday. An ANI input, citing Pakistan's 'The Nation', said, Khan will chair the meeting of the parliamentary board that may discuss ticket distribution for the next general elections.
Pakistan is in the midst of a major political turmoil after Opposition parties moved a no-confidence motion against the 69-year-old Khan. The motion was dismissed by the deputy speaker in the National Assembly on Sunday amid fears that the cricketer-turned-politician would not have a majority in the 342-member lower house of Parliament in case it went for voting.
Subsequently, President Arif Alvi dissolved the National Assembly on the advice of Khan, which he could not do until an outcome of the no-confidence vote emerged.
The Opposition then moved the apex court and a three-member bench held the initial hearing during the weekend. It issued notices to all respondents, including the President and deputy speaker.
The country's top court also ordered all parties not to take any "unconstitutional" measure and adjourned the hearing till Monday.
The “entire procure by the deputy speaker and the advice by the premier to dissolve the assembly was unconstitutional,” news agency PTI quoted constitutional lawyer Salman Akram Raja as saying.
Explaining the illegality of the ruling, he said the Prime Minister cannot give advice to the Assembly after a no-confidence motion is presented in Parliament against him.
(With agency inputs)
