Notices for the hearing have been issued to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s lawyer Ali Zafar, PPP’s lawyer Farooq H Naek, PML-N’s lawyer Makhdoom Ali Khan and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl’s lawyer Kamran Murtaza, as well as the advocate general for Sindh, Islamabad inspector general of police, interior secretary and president of the SCBA, among others.
According to the written order of the apex court’s hearing held on Monday, the Islamabad IGP had filed a report in relation to the incident at the Sindh House. The IGP had assured that strict measures are being taken to avoid any repetition of such an incident anywhere in the Red Zone in relation to the moving and voting on the no-confidence motion.
The IGP had stated that the FIR already registered would be vigorously pursued in accordance with law.
The advocate general Sindh had expressed strong reservations as to the FIR and desired for the province’s version to be put on the record. The advocate general Islamabad had assured that any representation made by the province through the advocate general would be dealt with in accordance with law.
The SCBA counsel had stated that the political parties had filed the no-confidence resolution, and expressed strong reservations and concerns that the speaker had summoned the session of the National Assembly for March 25, which is beyond the stipulated 14-day period.
“Our attention has been drawn to the order issued by the NA speaker in this regard. We are not inclined to take up this matter as it is collateral to the questions of constitutional interpretation raised before the court not only in terms of CP 2/2022 but also the reference filed by the president today in terms of Article 186. In any event, for such matters the Constitution envisages a remedy before Parliament itself,” the court order read.
The order stated that the attorney general had made a categorical statement before the court that the federal government would not in any manner hinder or obstruct, or interfere with, any members of the National Assembly (including those of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf) who wish to attend the session summoned as above, and to participate in, and cast their votes, on the no confidence resolution.
Regarding the “grave concerns” expressed about political rallies in Islamabad and the influx of supporters into the federal capital and especially in the Red Zone, the AGP had suggested that representatives of the political parties sit with Islamabad’s administration and work out a mechanism to the holding of rallies, as well as their days and venues. The apex court had dubbed this a reasonable and practical suggestion.
The court had directed the AGP to coordinate with the political parties’ lawyers to arrange the meetings with the administration on an urgent basis as suggested by him.
The order stated that the court is cognizant that the matter is time-constrained and directed all counsel to file concise statements of their submissions by or before March 24, so that the oral hearing could be completed within an acceptable timeframe.
