Petition to prevent ‘anarchy’: Supreme Court issues notices to political parties

PTI, PML-N, PPP and JUI-F receive notices from Apex Court, ICT police questioned on the storming of Sindh House

Picture source - supremecourt.gov.pk

The Supreme Court (SC) had issued notices to four political parties – PTI, PML-N, PPP and JUI-F – on Saturday on the petition filed by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA).

In that petition, the SCBA sought intervention from the apex court to prevent “anarchy” ahead of the no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The Inspector-General of Islamabad has also been directed by the court to submit a report by Monday on the issue of storming the Sindh House in Islamabad. The Sindh House, where the members of the ruling party were staying after defecting, was attacked by the supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) members and supporters.

The petition was filed by the SCBA earlier this week that was heard by the two-judge bench. Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Munib Akhtar heard the petition, that urged the court to ask all the stakeholders and political parties to let the constitutional process go peacefully.

During the hearing, Justice Bandial was told by the Attorney General that a decision had been made to file a presidential reference on Article 63(A) – which deals with disqualification of parliamentarians over defection – by Monday.

The court also directed that the process of the no-confidence vote should continue under Article 95.