Supreme Court announces verdict in NA Speaker ruling case

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) has announced the verdict on the suo motu case and declared the National Assembly (NA) deputy speaker ‘unconstitutional’, ARY News reported on Thursday.

The Supreme Court announced its reserved verdict on the suo motu case on the NA deputy speaker Qasim Khan Suri’s ruling on a no-trust move against then PM Imran Khan.

In the landmark verdict, the top court 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 (NA).

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.

READ: NO-CONFIDENCE VOTE: THE PROCEDURE AND AFTERMATH

Moreover, the apex court ordered the reinstatement of the prime minister and the federal cabinet besides restoring the NA proceeding’s scenario before the deputy speaker’s ruling given on April 3.

The top court ordered the National Assembly (NA) speaker to summon the session on April 9, Saturday to conduct the voting on the no-trust motion.

The SC ruling will not impact the effectiveness of Article 63 (A), whereas, the top court directed that the government could not stop any lawmaker from taking part in the vote of the no-confidence motion.

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial stated in the verdict that the dissolution of the National Assembly has no constitutional ground. The chief justice further stated that a detailed verdict will be issued later.

‘ECP ready for fresh polls’

The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) has informed the top court that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is fully ready to conduct fresh polls in the country.

The CEC apprised the top court that the institution will require at least seven months to complete delimitation.

Security tightened

Special security arrangements were made in and around the Supreme Court (SC) building. The doors of courtroom number 1 were locked prior to the announcement of the verdict.

Heavy contingents of police and Frontier Corps (FC) personnel have been deployed outside the Ministers’ Enclave.

Imran Khan’s statement

Prior to the SC landmark verdict today, PM Imran Khan has said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will accept the verdict whatever it would be.

Sources told ARY News that the legal team briefed the premier regarding the SC hearing on the petition against the ruling of the National Assembly (NA) deputy speaker Qasim Khan Suri in which he had rejected the opposition’s no-confidence motion against PM Imran Khan on April 3.

READ: SC RESERVES VERDICT IN NA SPEAKER’S RULING CASE

PM Imran Khan said that PTI will accept the SC verdict whatever it would be. He said that PTI is fully ready to contest fresh elections, said sources, adding that the premier vowed that he will never allow the foreign plot to succeed in the country.

It may be noted here that a five-member larger bench of the apex court was hearing the suo moto comprised of Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel.