ISLAMABAD – Supreme Court Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial ruled on Sunday that all orders and actions of the prime minister and president vis a vis dissolution of the National Assembly would be subject to the court order.
According to a spokesperson for the Supreme Court, the chief justice made the observation after taking notice of the current situation in the country.
Pakistan plunged into a political and constitutional crisis after dismissal of a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan by National Assembly (NA) Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri and subsequent dissolution of the NA by President Arif Alvi.
Commenting on the latest political developments, CJP Bandial said the law-and-order situation should be maintained. “This is an important matter and a hearing will be held tomorrow,” he said, barring all political parties and government institutions from taking advantage of the situation.
Regarding the Opposition’s petition, he said the hearing should be fixed for PPP’s petition.
A three-member bench of the apex court consisting of Chief Justice Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar heard the case and issued notices to respondents, including President Alvi and Deputy Speaker Suri. The hearing was later adjourned till tomorrow (Monday).
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Speaking to the media outside the Supreme Court, Federal Law Minister Fawad Chaudhry asserted that parliament was a separate institution and the NA ruling couldn’t be challenged in any court. “Political decisions shouldn’t be taken to courtrooms. I feel the processes have now moved forward,” he said.
Chaudhry said the president dissolved the NA on the prime minister’s advice and elections would be held within 90 days.
Within two to three days, he said, a letter would be sent to “former leader of opposition Shehbaz Sharif” and he would be asked to name people for the interim government.
Earlier, Suri dismissed the no-confidence motion, declaring it against Article 5 of the Constitution, which states that “loyalty to the State is the basic duty of every citizen”.
Subsequently, PM Imran said in his address to the nation he had advised the president to “dissolve assemblies”.
He congratulated the nation over dismissal of the no-trust motion, saying the deputy speaker foiled the regime-change attempt and a foreign conspiracy.
