Constitutional crisis: SC likely to rule in NA proceedings case today

By Muhammad JuniadPublished On 06 Jan 2023

• SC's larger bench to shortly resume hearing constitutional crisis case for fifth consecutive day.
• AGP Khalid Javed Khan and counsel representing PTI to give arguments in today's hearing.
• CJP Bandial says court wants to wrap up case on NA proceedings of April 3 soon.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan may rule on the "unconstitutional" act by National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri to block the vote of no-confidence against Prime Minister Imran Khan, today Thursday, the fifth consecutive day of deliberation on the matter.

The CJP had taken suo moto notice of the constitutional crisis that was triggered after Suri disallowed voting on the motion on April 3, deeming it "unconstitutional" a move that the Opposition said was a blatant violation of the Constitution.

AGP Khalid Javed Khan, the counsels representing PM Imran Khan and the NA speaker will give arguments in today's hearing.

"The SC wants to wrap up the case today," Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial had said, as the apex court resumed hearing the case on Wednesday.

“We first want to wrap up the case on what happened in the NA on April 3."

During Wednesday's hearing, the counsel representing PTI and President Arif Alvi presented their defense.

Babar Awan presented arguments over the constitutionality of Suri's ruling, while Arif Alvi's lawyer Ali Zafar deliberated over the boundary between the judiciary and the legislature under Article 69 of the Constitution.