ISLAMABAD – A five-member bench of Pakistan’s top court conducted a hearing on presidential reference seeking interpretation of Article 63(A).
The bench led by CJP Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Aijazul Ahsan, Justice Mazhar Alam, and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel took up the reference along with a plea filed by the Supreme Court Bar Association.
During the hearing, Justice Muneeb Akhtar remarked that lawmakers are bound to follow the party policy and have to vote in accordance with their party’s mandate. Full stop, that’s it, he added.
However, he mentioned that no lawmaker can be marked as a good boy or a bad boy. Chief Justice Bandial stated that Article 63(A) is a discipline of the emerging political system saying it binds the lawmakers to stand by their party no matter even if they are unhappy with it.
Justice Mandokhel remarked that Article 55 stipulates that all the parliamentary proceedings should be done through voting.
Earlier, Attorney General of Pakistan Khalid Jawed Khan said the political system of South Asian country is based on Article 63(A) or Article 95 saying any desecration could collapse the entire system.
Meanwhile, the apex court issued notices to all provinces and political parties and remarked that it wants all parties to stand in defense of the constitution.
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CJP also asked all parties to respect the democratic system while Justice Mazhar Alam expressed dismay at the formation of the tiger force and JUI-F’s Ansar ul Islam.
Meanwhile, a large number of security personnel were deputed in and outside the court with water cannons present nearby.
