The Supreme Court, on June 6, admitted the petitions filed against Speaker Fehmida Mirza’s ruling on the disqualification reference against Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani for hearing.

The petitions were filed by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khwaja Asif and Senator Zafar Ali Khan.

The hearing against National Assembly’s Speaker, Fehmida Mirza, ruling case continued in the Supreme Court of Pakistan, on June 14.

Advocate, A K Dogar, whilst presenting his arguments, said that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, was disqualified by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, however, he is still running a public office.

Dogar further said that PM Gilani deliberately insulted the court and the speaker’s ruling was against the seven-member bench’s verdict.

The Supreme Court, on June 15, resumed the hearing on petitions challenging the ruling of the National Assembly’s Speaker on the issue of disqualification of the Prime Minister.

The Supreme Court resumed the hearing into the Speaker ruling case on June 18.

During the hearing, a written reply from Speaker National Assembly Fehmida Mirza was submitted in the apex court by Attorney General Irfan Qadir.

Ahsan said that under Article 184 (3) of the Constitution, the Supreme Court did not have the authority to hear the petitions.

The Supreme Court on June 19 ruled Speaker National Assembly Fehmida Mirza’s ruling as void and declared that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani stood disqualified since April 26.

Following Gilani's disqualification, President Asif Ali Zardari disregarded the option of early general elections and said that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) will announce the name of the new prime minister after National Assembly’s session on June 22.

Coalition parties considered various politicians for the position of prime minister of the country including, Makhdoom Shahabuddin, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Maulana Fazlur Rehman. However, PPP nominated Ashraf as the candidate for PM on June 22.

The nomination received retaliation from various factions within the ruling party and coalition members. However, the lower house of the parliament voted in the favour of Ashraf and elected him as the 17th prime minister of Pakistan.