ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday was moved against the orders of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) which allowed issuance of production orders for Shehbaz Sharif and Khawaja Saad Rafique to attend National Assembly (NA) sessions.
The two Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders are currently in the custody of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) over corruption charges.
According to the details garnered Monday, the petition that was filed by Advocate Riaz Hanif Rahi argued that issuing production orders of a suspect was tantamount to violation of the law and the constitution.
“The NA sessions are being marred by controversies ever since the suspects were allowed to attend its proceedings,” the petition stated.
Issuing production orders of a person facing criminal investigation in accordance with NA’s rule of business number 108 is contrary to Article 67 of the constitution, read the petition. “This raises questions over legal standing of rule 108,” it added.
Making Shehbaz and Rafique respondents in the case, Rahi appealed the apex court to declare the IHC verdict null and void.
Last week, IHC had dismissed a petition challenging the appointment of the opposition leader in the NA as Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman, declaring it as non-maintainable.
It stated that Shehbaz, as well as Rafique, were to be declared ineligible as members of NA and that they will be presumed innocent until proven guilty. “MNAs cannot be barred from attending the session in violation of the constitution,” it added.
