Speaker NA has not filed reference against any judge, says spokesman

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly spokesman on Saturday said Speaker NA Ayaz Sadiq has noted filed reference against any judge, ARY News reported.

“(Media) should refrain from speculation and false statements about the speaker,” said the spokesman in a statement.

ARY News correspondent Azhar Farooq quoting the NA secretariat said no reference has been filed by Ayaz Sadiq against any judge of the Supreme Court.

“Any (unconfirmed) news which could become base for clash between national institutions should not be reported,” said the NA.

The news about the NA speaker’s filing a reference against the most senior judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, hit headlines from sources on Saturday.

Earlier today, the top court’s registrar also said it has not yet received such reference.

Read More: SC yet to receive reference against judge who disqualified Sharif

The speaker was reported to have prepared a reference against Justice Asif Saeed Khosa under the Article 209 of the constitution, levelling allegation of misconduct against him, to be filed in the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC).

The complainant had reportedly submitted that Justice Khosa, who was member of the five judges bench which heard Panamagate case, declared him as loyalist of Nawaz Sharif, which was contrary to the facts.

In “the copy of the reference” in circulation, the speaker complained that Justice Khosa’s labeling of him as a “nominee or loyalist of the prime minister is a misstatement and contrary to the facts. It [is] also tantamount to disparagement and breach of privilege of the august house of the National Assembly comprising of 342 members and the speaker elected by those members as custodian of the House.”