The Sindh High Court (SHC) has asked the petitioner to satisfy it regarding maintainability of a petition through which he sought dissolution of the incumbent national and provincial assemblies in view of rigging in the general elections.
The petitioner, Advocate Moulvi Iqbal Haider, approached the court citing Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the secretaries of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the defense ministry, the interior ministry, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan, Pakistan Awami Tehreek Chairman Dr Tahirul Qadri and the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) chairman as respondents.
In the petition, Haider submitted that PTI chairman Imran Khan had been protesting against rigging and irregularities in the general elections and demanding that the premier, Punjab chief minister, Punjab chief secretary, Islamabad police IG, defense and interior ministers had no legal sanctity to retain the government offices.
Besides, he said, Interior Minister Chaudhry NisarAli Khan had also admitted on the National Assembly floor that between 50,000 to 60,000 votes could not be verified by Nadra during the voters thumb impressions verification.
He stated that in the view of the ongoing tense political situation facing the nation, the constitutional machinery had broken down throughout the country. The federal and provincial assemblies should be dissolved and a national government with assistance of the armed forces be formed comprising of all the parties.
The court was pleaded to order respondents to dissolve the national and provincial assemblies and form a national government.
When the matter came up before the division bench headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi for hearing, the court asked the petitioner to advance arguments as to whether the petition was maintainable. The hearing of case was adjourned till August 25.
