CM Punjab election: SC to announce verdict on formation of full court at 5.30pm

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court Monday (SC) completed hearing into pleas of formation of full court for the hearing of the case of the Punjab chief minister’s election, ARY News reported on Monday.

CJP Umar Ata Bandial said a hearing has been completed and the decision on the formation of a full court bench will be announced today at 5.30pm.

A three-member bench — headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, and comprising Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar — is holding the hearing at the Supreme Court’s room number 1.

At the outset of today’s hearing, the former head of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Advocate Latif Afridi came to the rostrum and pleaded to the court on behalf of lawyers’ bodies, saying the system is facing dangers as there are numerous challenges.

“The review petition in the Article 63(A) case should be fixed before a full court,” Afridi said.

At this, CJP Bandial said that he did not want to issue a one-sided order and neither would he arrive at a decision under the advice of 10 former presidents.

Barrister Ali Zafar — who is representing Elahi in the case — said that he has also remained the president of the bar. “The bar presidents should not be involved in such matters.”

Deputy Speaker Mazari’s lawyer, Irfan Qadir, too, when he came to the rostrum, said that since there are several confusions over the matter, a full bench should hear the case.

Last week, the top court asked Chief Minister Punjab Hamza Shahbaz to stay “trustee” CM till Monday (July 25) and limited his powers, noting that if he appoints someone against merit, it will be considered null and void.

Ban imposed on entry of political leaders in SC

The entry of all political leaders to the Supreme Court has been banned for the hearing on the case related to the election of the Punjab chief minister.

Strict security arrangements are in place in and around the apex court. A police force is stationed outside courtroom number one, while registered beat reporters from the media are allowed to enter courtroom number one.

Apart from this, only parties to the case will be allowed to enter courtroom number one. Court proceedings can be heard through speakers in rooms six and seven of the SC.

Maryam Nawaz criticises judges

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz while criticizing judges of the Supreme Court on Monday said that impact of apex court’s verdicts stays for decades.

Maryam Nawaz along with the coalition government was addressing a press conference in federal capital ahead of hearing by the apex court on Chaudhry Parvez Elahi’s petition challenging the Punjab Assembly deputy speaker’s ruling.

Maryam Nawaz said that said she can write the entire history of the judiciary, just one wrong decision destroys all the cases, if you make the right decision, no matter how much you are being criticized.

The PML-N said that when Hamza Shahbaz Sharif won the election, PTI took the petitions to the Supreme Court registry. On this, the registrar said, sit here and prepare the petition now.

“One or two judges, who have always been anti-PML-N and anti-government, they are repeatedly included in the bench,” she said.

Fawad Chaudhry demands to place govt officials’ names on ECL

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry has demanded to place names of all government leaders on the Exit Control List (ECL).

According to details, Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Fawad Chaudhry, while reacting to the press conference of the leaders of the ruling parties, said that all the characters of the film “London Nahi Jaon Gee” were present at the press conference.

Regarding Maryam Nawaz, the PTI leader said that despite being on bail, the woman continued to hold a press conference against the judiciary. Fawad Chaudhry questioned how Prime Minister House Auditorium was given to Maryam Nawaz to hold a press conference.