PML-N, PTI challenge NA speaker’s ruling

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) Monday filed two separate constitutional petitions in the Supreme Court against National Assembly speaker’s ruling regarding conviction of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and the premier’s visit to UK.
PML-N leader Khawaja Muhammad Asif filed the petition in the apex court on Monday afternoon, stating that the May 24 ruling of the National Assembly speaker in the matter of Yousuf Raza Gilani was “arbitrary, capricious and illegal”.
On the other hand, Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf (PTI) also filed a similar petition challenging Speaker Fehmida Mirza’s decision and Gilani’s recent visit to UK.
PTI’s Advocate Safdar Ali Shah filed the petition on behalf of party chairman Imran Khan.
“There is no moral ground for Gilani to hold the office any more, PTI advocate argued in the petition adding that “Gilani visit to Britain along with an 80-member delegation was burden on taxpayers of the poor people”.
On Thursday, 24 March, Mirza saved Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani from being disqualified, rejecting the March 30, 2012 reference sent to her office by Moulvi Iqbal Haider.
A five-page decision issued by the Speaker office stated that question of Prime Minister’s disqualification did not arise under Article-63(G).