Govt files review petition against SC verdict over Speaker's ruling

ISLAMABAD: Ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday filed a review petition against the Supreme Court’s verdict on the Deputy Speaker’s ruling over the no-trust motion in the National Assembly, ARY News reported.

A review petition drafted by Azhar Siddique advocate and Faisal Chaudhry, against the April 07, 2022 verdict by a five-member bench of the apex court, filed in the Supreme Court by the advocate on record.

The petition has pleaded to the court for a review over the verdict given by the five-member bench headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial.

Prime Minister Imran Khan earlier finalized his consultations with legal experts over the matter, sources said.

The apex court will be pleaded in the petition that Article 69 is part of the constitution and the Supreme Court could not take the powers of the assembly, sources earlier said.

The government will plead for suspension of the verdict of the five-member bench and the National Assembly being allowed to function according to the rules, sources said.

Prime Minister Imran Khan earlier chaired a meeting of senior party leaders and legal experts ahead of a National Assembly session for vote on no-confidence motion.

The meeting reviewed strategy in the wake of the apex court’s decision.

Later, Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser also telephoned Prime Minister Imran Khan to discuss the strategy for the voting on the no-trust move.

Earlier in the day, National Assembly secretariat has made it clear to the speaker that violating the apex court’s decision to hold voting on no-trust move will lead to the contempt of court proceedings.

According to sources, the secretariat officials have conveyed that implementation on the Supreme Court’s decision is unavoidable.

“We have conveyed to the speaker that there is no way except voting on no-trust move today,” they said and added, “If there will be no voting then it will be tantamount to contempt of court.”

The Supreme Court announced the verdict on the suo motu case and declared the National Assembly deputy speaker’s ruling ‘unconstitutional’.

The apex court in its landmark verdict, retained the opposition’s no-trust motion against PM Khan. The Supreme Court ruled that the deputy speaker’s ruling was a violation of the Constitution and nullified the dissolution of the National Assembly.

The top court issued directives to immediately wind up the voting process of the no-trust motion against PM Imran Khan. It has been directed that the NA speaker could not adjourn the session for an indefinite period.