SC returns plea for ban on PTI

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court registrar's office Monday returned with objections to a petition seeking dissolution of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Aun Chaudhry, Additional Secretary General of the newly formed Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), filed the petition under Article 184(3) of the Constitution praying for dissolving the PTI.

He has made the Federation of Pakistan through secretaries to the ministries of law and justice, interior, and defence as well as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Imran Khan Niazi, Tehreek-e- Insaf through its president Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Prime Minister Mian Shehbaz Sharif and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif as respondents.

The petitioner prayed the apex court to declare the acts of PTI, its chairman and office-bearers, their hate speeches attacking the judiciary, defence, burning and looting public assets, etc, totally unconstitutional, violative of the fundamental rights and various provisions of the Constitution of Pakistan, including but not limited to Articles 3,4,5,6,9,14,15, 22, 24, 29, 28, 39 and 40 of the Constitution of Pakistan and thus their party was liable to be dissolved.

The registrar's office, however, returned the petition by raising objections that the requirements of Article 184(3) of the Constitution were not fulfilled while filing the petition.

The office further stated that it was not clear in the plea how the imposition of a ban on the party came under Article 184(3) of the Constitution, adding that the instant petition did not explain as to how banning the PTI was a matter of public interest.

The office also stated that the IPP’s leader, who is also an adviser to the prime minister on sports and tourism, did not approach the relevant forum ahead of filing the petition.

The Registrar Office also stated that under Article 248 of the Constitution, the prime minister and the defence minister could not be made a party to the case.