ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has adjourned for the fourth consecutive day the hearing of the controversial ruling by Qasim Suri, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly who dismissed the vote of no-confidence on April 3 against Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial said that the SC wanted to wrap up the case today, but the apex court adjourned hearing till Thursday.
The CJP had taken suo motu notice of the constitutional crisis that erupted after Suri disallowed voting on the motion, deeming it “unconstitutional” — a move that the Opposition said was a blatant violation of the Constitution.
The apex court’s five-member larger bench — headed by Justice Bandial and comprising Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Aijazul Ahsan, Justice Mazhar Alam, and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel — is hearing the arguments by the counsels of the remaining respondents of the case.
At the outset of the hearing, PML-N ‘s counsel Nazeer Tarar maintained that the Punjab advocate-general had assured to hold the provincial assembly session today.
Responding to this, CJP Bandial said that a very important case is being heard in this court.
“We first want to wrap up the case on what happened in the NA on April 3,” the CJP remarked.
However, Tarar argued “Punjab Assembly’s matter is the extension of Islamabad’s case.”
At this the chief justice said that negative statements are being made against the court and it is being said that the court is delaying the matter.
“We have to decide after listening to everyone’s stance and then we will look into Punjab assembly matter in the end.”
CJP Bandial said that the court will ask the Punjab advocate-general under which law the Assembly session was adjourned.
‘No one termed traitor’: CJP
Meanwhile, PTI’s counsel Babar Awan resumed his arguments, saying that he wants to put some points before the court.
“I believe that no point will be disregarded in this case.”
Awan and counsels representing other respondents — PPP, PML-N, Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), Sindh High Court Bar, Attorney General of Pakistan and Advocate General of Punjab — had presented their arguments before the court in Tuesday’s hearing as well.
Today, Awan referred to the verdict by Justice Faez Isa on the minorities.
He objected that all the political parties are a party in this case except for MQM-P, PTM, Balochistan Awami Party and Jamat-e-Islami and Rah-e-Haq party.
He went on to say that the case is whether the NA speaker’s act was illegal.
“The political parties maintain that they have been declared traitors under Article 5 of the Constitution. […]. The court was asked to interpret Article 2.”
At this, CJP Bandial said that no one has been termed a traitor in regard with Article 5, but the action taken under Article 5 has been stated as treason. He said that the Constitution is such a document in which the clauses and sections are read together.
The court adjourned the hearing with apology from the Chief Justice for not concluding the hearing today.
