Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Following the Supreme Court’s decision to continue the hearing on the Punjab chief minister’s election with the current three-member bench, the ruling coalition has decided to boycott the hearing scheduled to be held today (Tuesday), Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) leadership announced.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan rejected the petition seeking the formation of a full bench for hearing the case of the Punjab chief minister’s election — where Hamza Shahbaz defeated Pervez Elahi.
Addressing a press conference at the Prime Minister’s House, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said if the Supreme Court doesn’t form full a court “then we [PDM] will also reject all decisions of the judiciary as we will not appear before this three-members bench.”
“We boycott the proceeding the apex court,” Fazl announced, adding that the coalition government doesn’t want any institution to interfere in court matters.
Fazl, who is also the chief of PDM, said that the counsellors of the government alliance advised the jury according to the constitution; however, the top court “instead impartially considering our demand rejected our petition.”
Speaking on the occasion, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs and PPP Co-Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said that when a decision is being taken about an institution then the entire bench should hear the case.
Bilawal, while endorsing Fazl’s statement, said that PPP along with all other alliance parties of PDM has decided to boycott the court proceedings.
PML-N senior leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that this is the “test of the Supreme Court now”. He further added that the PDM had warned that if the decision is taken by a full court, then only it will be accepted by the people of Pakistan.
Abbasi said the three judges of the existing bench had the responsibility to decide whether or not history would accept their conduct.
It should be noted that adjourning the hearing till 11:30 am tomorrow, the court announced that a three-member bench — headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, and comprising Justice Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar — will hear the petition filed by the PML-Q and PTI regarding the Hamza Shahbaz being elected as the chief minister of Punjab.
Earlier, taking to her Twitter in reaction to the SC’s verdict, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz said that there was only one reason for not forming a full court — “fear”.
“Fear of the contradiction of its own decision,” PML-N stalwart wrote.
Saying that she was “almost sure” that a full court will not be formed, Maryam added that when the decisions aren’t taken in accordance with the Constitution, law, and justice, then the formation of a full court is deemed dangerous.
