Direct MNAs, speaker to follow Constitution: Supreme Court to take up SCBA petition on 21st

ISLAMABAD: On March 21, the Supreme Court (SC) will conduct preliminary hearing of a Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) petition, seeking direction to all state functionaries as well as political stakeholders to act strictly in accordance with the Constitution and the law during the process of no-confidence motion submitted in the National Assembly against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The petition has been fixed before a two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Umer Ata Bandial and Justice Muneeb Akhtar. In this respect, a notice has been issued to the SCBA president.

SCBA President Ahsen Bhoon had filed a petition in the apex court under Article 184(3) of the Constitution making Prime Minister Imran Khan and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and others respondents.

He had prayed to the apex court to direct the respondents and/ or their officials and/or anyone else acting on their instructions/ orders, charged with the duty to maintain law and order in the Islamabad Capital Territory to prevent any assembly, gathering, public meetings and/or procession, which can create any hindrance or has the effect of preventing the Members of the National Assembly from reaching the Parliament House and Parliament Lodges.

Similarly, he had prayed to the apex court to restrain the respondents and/ or their officials and/or anyone else acting on their instructions/orders from taking any coercive measures/actions against and including, arrest and detention of the Members of the National Assembly.

The petitioner had sought the direction of the apex court to NA speaker to discharge his duties, perform his functions and dispose of the proceedings on the motion for no-confidence against the PM strictly in accordance with the Constitution and the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007.