SC decision 'interference' in parliamentary affairs: Asad Umar

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA Asad Umar on Saturday termed the Supreme Court decision against NA Speaker’s April 3 ruling “interference in parliamentary affairs” as the govt filed a review petition against the verdict, ARY News reported.

Asad Umar was of the view that the opposition believes in democracy so it must also believe in parliamentary supremacy and should unite with the government to make sure the supremacy shouldn’t be compromised.

“The Speaker’s ruling (in which he termed the no-confidence motion unconstitutional) may be incorrect but are all court decisions ideal?,” asked Asad Umar.

He was of the view that if the courts can interfere in parliamentary affairs and dictate at what time and day an assembly session can take place, should the parliament also start dictating them time of hearings in some case.

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It is pertinent to note here that the National Assembly session has vote of no-confidence against PM Imran Khan on the agenda and the opposition leaders are urging the Speaker to start voting on the motion immediately.

Crucial NA session proceedings (follow live here)

Following the recitation of the Holy Quran and national anthem, the speaker allowed the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif to begin his speech.

Speaking on the floor of NA, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif hailed Thursday as a historic day in the country’s history when the Supreme Court rejected the deputy speaker’s ruling.

“SC decision had made Pakistan’s future bright,” he said and urged the speaker to conduct the session as per the order of the apex court as its directions were clear.

Responding to Shehbaz, Asad Qaiser assured the opposition leader that he would conduct proceedings according to the law and the Constitution.

“The foreign conspiracy against PM Imran-led PTI govt should also be discussed in today’s NA session,” the speaker said while interrupting the opposition leader.

This prompted PML-N leader Shehbaz Sharif to tell the speaker that he would be violating the court’s directives by delaying voting in no-trust motion.

Asad Qaiser again assured that SC’s orders will be followed in true letter and spirit.

After Shehbaz’s speech, Speaker Asad Qaiser handed over the floor to Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

The foreign minister began his speech by acknowledging that the joint opposition had the right to table a no-trust motion against the prime minister. “Defending no-trust motion against the prime minister is our obligation.”

Qureshi said the treasury benches intend to fight the no-trust motion in a constitutional, political and democratic manner.

Qureshi said that Pakistan’s history is full of Constitutional violations and on October 12, 1999, the Constitution was blatantly violated.

The foreign minister reiterated that the opposition had been demanding fresh elections for the last four years; and when PM Imran Khan suggested that people should decide the country’s fate, the opposition started staging drama and running away from general elections.

Qureshi was of the view that the cable was presented before National Security Committee (NSC) and the meeting concluded that it was a sensitive matter. (read more here)