'Judicial coup': PML-N responds to SC's verdict on CM Punjab election

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has strongly responded to the Supreme Court’s (SC) verdict on Punjab chief minister’s election, terming it a ‘judicial coup’, ARY News reported.

Addressing a press conference shortly after the SC’s verdict, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb lambasted it as a ‘judicial coup’ and said that a ‘self-suiting’ interpretation had led to the decision.

“We asked the top court continuously to constitute a full court to hear the case,” the federal minister said, reiterating that had a full court been constituted, the verdict in the case would have been different.

The PML-N leader vowed to win the legitimacy of parliament back to the masses. She also announced that today marks the beginning of the second phase of the judiciary’s revival.

Marriyum Aurangzeb also criticised the “double standards” in how letters by PTI Chairman Imran Khan and PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat, for instructions to their MPAs for chief minister elections, were treated.

“Imran’s letter was acceptable and 25 MPAs were defeated because of it while Shujaat’s letter was considered haram,” she said, adding: “This decision is akin to a judicial coup and will push the country and people further towards instability, anarchy and division.”

She said it would not be allowed that a court’s decision appoints a person for Punjab chief minister’s role who did not even have the province’s mandate.

Meanwhile, PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz termed the Supreme Court’s verdict ‘judicial coup’.

JUDICIAL COUP.

— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) July 26, 2022

In another tweet, she said that her party won’t accept the “murder of justice” in the case.

انصاف کا قتل نا منظور! pic.twitter.com/uFHgeDMroX

— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) July 26, 2022

A three-member bench of the Supreme Court today declared Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari’s ruling in the Punjab Chief Minister election “illegal” and ruled that Pervez Elahi will be the new CM of the province.

The apex court ordered the Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman to administer the oat to Elahi at 11:30pm. The SC also nullified all appointments made by ‘trustee CM’ Hamza Shahbaz.