Leaders of the parties of the coalition government have said that bench-fixing was a crime similar to match-fixing, and the fate of the people could not be decided by three people.
In a joint press conference with other coalition government leaders including Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Vice President Maryam Nawaz criticized the constitution of an “anti-PML-N bench”.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said that three judges could not decide the fate of the country.
Maryam Nawaz also said that the judiciary was insulted from within and not outside, hinting at the cause of such insult being the “wrong decisions”.
Bilawal Bhutto said three people could not decide what path the country would take; weather it would run on a democratic, elected or selected system.
He added that the there was one demand of PPP and all the allied parties that the matter should be heard by a full court.
Before the hearing of the petition of PTI and Pervez Elahi against the ruling of Deputy Speaker Punjab Assembly in the Supreme Court, the PPP, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, along with Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz, also became parties. A request to form a full court was submitted.
In the petition, Hamza Shehbaz requested the court to hear the petitions for revision of Article 63A and the appeals of the defiant members against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) along with the Deputy Speaker’s ruling case. Hamza Shehbaz has taken the stand that the ruling given by Deputy Speaker Punjab Assembly Dost Muhammad Mazari on July 22 was correct. He has also stated that, in such a case, the votes of 25 deviant members would also be counted.
Maryam Nawaz asked if all the suo motu notices were for Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N). She pointed out the differential treatment towards PML-N and Imran Khan, citing the lack of attention from the judiciary towards Imran Khan even in cases of violence and attacks on state property.
Maryam Nawaz said that six votes were rejected in the election of Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, and when she went to the Supreme Court, it was said that the speaker’s ruling could not be challenged.
She also said that anyone could make a wrong decision, but wrong decisions with continuity raise questions, adding that decisions had far-reaching effects.
PML-Q leader Tariq Bashir Cheema questioned if making laws was not the job of the parliament. He said that the judiciary should decide whose job it was to make laws. He reiterated the demand of the coalition parties to form a full court bench and said that it was hoped that it would not become a problem of ego and the honorable court would form a full court.
Amil Wali Khan, leader of the Awami National Party (ANP), said that Imran Khan was trying to spread chaos in the country. He said in the press conference that there was no need for a party leader in political parties after such constitutional interpretation in court decisions.
On the other side, PTI has also filed a contempt of court petition against Governor Punjab Balighur Rehman.
The contempt petition was filed by Mian Aslam Iqbal on behalf of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Contempt of court proceedings have been requested against Hamza Shehbaz and Dost Mazari.
