LAHORE – The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Saturday summoned Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Mohammad Mazari in a case against his ruling in recently held election for chief minister slot.
A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Umar Atta Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib, was hearing the petition filed by Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi against Mazari’s ruling to reject PML-Q’s votes cast.
The apex court has directed the deputy speaker to appear before the court by 2pm today as it wanted to hear him personally in the case.
CJP Bandia said that the deputy speaker should appear before the court with all relevant documents and there is no need to get frightened as it is a legal procedure.
Notices have also been issued to Chief Minister Hamza Shahbaz Sharif and Punjab’s advocate general. The bench remarked that additional advocate general can appear before the court in absence of top lawyer of the Punjab government.
On Friday, Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari rejected 10 votes of PML-Q MPAs cast in favour of Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and retained PML-N’s Hamza Shahbaz as chief minister of Punjab.
Mazari said he rejected these votes in the light of a letter issued by PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain who said he had directed his party’s lawmakers to vote for Hamza Shahbaz. He also cited the apex court’s opinion in the presidential reference for the interpretation of Article 63A.
In total, Hamza got 179 votes and Parvez 186 votes. However, 10 votes cast in favour of Parvez were rejected.
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