The Supreme Court (SC) has admitted for hearing five petitions filed by Pakistan Awami Muslim League’s Sheikh Rashid Ahmad, Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI)’s Javed Hashmi and others against election tribunal interim order.
A two membered bench of the SC led by Justice Anwar Zahir Jamali took up the case for hearing on Thursday. Counsels for Ahmad, Hashmi, Dr Wasim, Raza Hayat Hiraj and Sadaqat Ali appeared in court and gave preliminary arguments on their petitions.
The court has issued notices to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and Attorney General (AG) on this count.
The court has directed the office to fix these petitions for hearing in the second week of June. The court has also ordered that the cases which are pending with the election tribunals be disposed off as per law.
Justice Anwar Zahir Jamali remarked, “It would have been better if the high court had rendered a decision on merit on electoral matters. Prima facie it seems that the high court has been influenced by the decision of the apex court. The high court could say that the court enjoys powers under article 199 of the constitution and it cannot hear the case till the final decision of the tribunal.”
“On the other hand, the high court wrote that it is not their mandate,” Jamali said, adding that if the courts did not give a decision within four months then its blame cannot be placed on the law and constitution.
Justice Ejaz Chaudhry remarked, “It is correct that the winning candidate cannot allow the petitions filed by defeated candidates to be decided in the court for five years. The judiciary has disposed off 18 out of 57 cases. We are admitting this petition for hearing and we will decide it too. All politicians pose to be democratic but they forget this after winning the election.”
All took a similar stance that it is under the high court’s jurisdiction to conduct hearing on interim decision of tribunals and had the decision been given on merit, the matter would have been resolved.
The hearing of the case was adjourned till the second week of June.
SC SEEKS REPLY FROM ECP OVER IMRAN’S PETITION: The SC has sought a reply from the ECP within 15 days on the petitions filed by PTI Chairman Imran Khan, seeking verification of thumb impressions in four constituencies.
A three-member bench of the SC headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Tassaduq Hussain Jillani took up the petitions for hearing on Thursday.
PTI’s counsel Hamid Khan contended that he had filed two petitions, adding that the ECP had not implemented the court’s order.
The CJP remarked, “Both petitions will be heard jointly. Let the ECP reply, then the matter will be reviewed.”
The hearing of the case was adjourned for 15 days.
Talking to reporters after the hearing, Khan said he demanded the verification of thumb impressions in four constituencies so that lapses may come to light. Imran said, “Wherever my representatives personally paid fee to get thumb impressions verified, a majority of the votes were found to be unverified.”
Imran said he still stands by his statement about returning officers’ involvement in rigging of 2013 polls.
