SC issues detailed verdict in NA deputy speaker ruling case

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) has issued a 111-page detailed verdict in the National Assembly’s (NA) deputy speaker ruling case which was written by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel has also written an additional note on the 111-page detailed verdict on the suo motu case related to the then NA deputy speaker Qasim Khan Suri’s ruling on a no-trust move against then Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The detailed verdict stated that the deputy speaker exceeded his jurisdiction by rejecting the no-confidence motion. The deputy speaker wrote himself to urge a thorough investigation into the threatening diplomatic cable.

It read that how does the deputy speaker reject the resolution without any investigation and the constitution did not provide any protection to the moves of the deputy speaker.

After declaring the deputy speaker’s ruling unconstitutional, the National Assembly (NA) was reinstated. The previous government had not probed into the diplomatic cable nor apprised the details of the elements who were involved in the foreign conspiracy.

READ: FULL TEXT OF SC JUDGEMENT IN NA DEPUTY SPEAKER RULING CASE

The detailed verdict stated that the cipher was not shown to the court but some portion of the document nor the full context was presented. A portion of the diplomatic cable was presented before the court as arguments but the court could not give any ruling due to the diplomatic affairs.

The top court had taken a suo motu notice for the protection and integrity of the Constitution of Pakistan. It was the responsibility of the executive to decide on the diplomatic cable. The court swung into action against the unconstitutional move of the deputy speaker.

It read that the courts always give verdicts on factual grounds instead of relying on speculations while the top court was not given satisfactory arguments regarding the foreign interference in the internal affairs of the country.

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

It further stated that no orders were issued to probe into cipher content to ascertain the alleged interference in the declaration issued by the National Security Committee (NSC), whereas, it did not mention the nexus of the opposition and foreign powers to bring a no-trust move.

The ruling of the NA deputy speaker and dissolution of the assembly had affected the fundamental rights of the nation. A judicial commission could not be formed on the diplomatic cable and the foreign conspiracy as there was no such example of constituting a judicial commission in this genre of case.

SC landmark verdict

On April 7, the Supreme Court (SC) had announced the verdict on the suo motu case and declared the National Assembly (NA) deputy speaker ‘unconstitutional’.

In the landmark verdict, the top court retained the opposition’s no-trust motion against the then PM Khan. The Supreme Court had 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 had 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.

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