ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) leadership on Monday announced that the ruling coalition has decided to boycott the Supreme Court’s proceedings after the apex court decided to continue the hearing on the Punjab chief minister’s election with the current three-member bench.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan rejected the petition seeking the formation of a full bench for hearing the case of the Punjab chief minister’s election — where Hamza Shahbaz defeated Pervez Elahi.
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, while addressing a press conference at the Prime Minister’s House, said if the Supreme Court doesn’t form a full court, “then we [PDM] will also reject all decisions of the judiciary as we will not appear before this three-members bench.”
“We boycott the proceedings of the apex court,” Fazl announced, adding that the coalition government doesn’t want any institution to interfere in court matters.
Fazl, who is also the chief of PDM, said that the counsellors of the government alliance advised the jury according to the constitution; however, the top court “instead impartially considering our demand rejected our petition.”
Endorsing Fazl’s statement, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs and PPP Co-Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said PPP along with all other alliance parties of PDM has decided to boycott the court proceedings. He said that when a decision is being taken about an institution then the entire bench should hear the case.
‘This is Supreme Court’s test’
PML-N senior leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that this is the “test of the Supreme Court now”. He further added that the PDM had warned that if the decision is taken by a full court, then only it will be accepted by the people of Pakistan.
Abbasi said the three judges of the existing bench had the responsibility to decide whether or not history would accept their conduct.
It should be noted that adjourning the hearing till 11:30 am tomorrow, the court announced that a three-member bench — headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, and comprising Justice Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar — will hear the petition filed by the PML-Q and PTI regarding the Hamza Shahbaz being elected as the chief minister of Punjab.
The press conference followed a huddle of the government leaders at the Prime Minister’s House after the verdict was announced.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, JUI-F chief Fazl, and PPP chairman were among the senior political leaders and government figures in attendance
Leaders of the MQM-P, members of ANP, BAP, BNP and other government-allied parties are also present at the huddle, along with other senior PML-N figures.
