AGP to move presidential reference for SC opinion over defection clause

ISLAMABAD: Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) has said that the presidential reference for interpretation of the defection clause of the Constitution will be moved before the Supreme Court by Monday.

Talking to ARY News Khalid Javed Khan said that he was working on the presidential reference for interpretation of Article 63-A of the constitution and it will be moved to the apex court by Monday (March 21).

“The debate on Article 63-A will ultimately come to an end after the Supreme Court’s opinion,” he said.

“The government will not cross the limits of the constitution and law in the no-trust motion,” the state’s top lawyer said. “What will happen, will be happened within the boundries of the constitution,” the attorney general said.

AGP Khalid Javed Khan on behalf of President Dr Arif Alvi will move the reference to seek the opinion of the Supreme Court if Article 63-A of the constitution is applicable to members only after defection or a political party chief can invoke it to discourage perceived horse-trading.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday announced the government’s decision of approaching the top court to seek its interpretation of the defection clause. He also announced that the minus-one concept has no room in the ruling PTI.