Islamabad protests: SC issues notices to all parliamentary parties

Published September 2, 2014
Supreme Court of Pakistan. — File photo
Supreme Court of Pakistan. — File photo

ISLAMABAD: Hearing a set of petitions against sit-ins by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) on the Constitution Avenue, the Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notices to all parliamentary parties as well as the PAT.

The notices were issued after petitioner Zulfiqar Naqvi pleaded to the court that all parliamentary parties be summoned so the deadlock can be resolved.

Notices have been issued to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Awami National Party (ANP), Pakistan Muslim League - Quaid (PML-Q), Pakistan Muslim League - Zia (PML-Z), Balochistan National Party (BNP), Awami Muslim League (AML), All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), Qaumi Watan Party (QWP), Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMap), National Party (NP) and other parties in Parliament as well as PAT.

Today’s proceedings also saw Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk saying that while it was not his place to issue clarifications over allegations of bias, he had met with PTI chairman Imran Khan only once and that too along with the latter's counsel Hamid Khan and at a time when he was the acting chief election commissioner.

Justice Mulk said Imran and Hamid had come to his office to discuss the idea of introducing biometric system of voting in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“That was the only time we met,” he said.

Javed Hashmi claims that Imran had said that “the current chief justice” had a favourable view of PTI and had agreed to ensure that power is taken from Nawaz Sharif.

Also during today's hearing, PAT’s counsel Ali Zafar refused to submit proposals over what role the court should play in ending the current political impasse.

Zafar said his client’s demands were of a political nature and it was not the court’s place to interfere in political matters.

The response came a day after the apex court call on the two protesting parties — PTI and PAT — as to what proposals they had in their minds about the role the court should play in ending the political deadlock.

Subsequently, the court adjourned the case until tomorrow.

Opinion

The Dar story continues

The Dar story continues

One wonders what the rationale was for the foreign minister — a highly demanding, full-time job — being assigned various other political responsibilities.

Editorial

Wheat protests
Updated 01 May, 2024

Wheat protests

The government should withdraw from the wheat trade gradually, replacing the existing market support mechanism with an effective new one over the next several years.
Polio drive
01 May, 2024

Polio drive

THE year’s fourth polio drive has kicked off across Pakistan, with the aim to immunise more than 24m children ...
Workers’ struggle
01 May, 2024

Workers’ struggle

FACED with high inflation and bleak economic prospects nationally, the workers of Pakistan have little to celebrate...
All this talk
Updated 30 Apr, 2024

All this talk

The other parties are equally legitimate stakeholders in the country’s political future, and it must give them due consideration.
Monetary policy
30 Apr, 2024

Monetary policy

ALIGNING its decision with the trend in developed economies, the State Bank has acted wisely by holding its key...
Meaningless appointment
30 Apr, 2024

Meaningless appointment

THE PML-N’s policy of ‘family first’ has once again triggered criticism. The party’s latest move in this...