LHC serves notices on PTI plea against Hamza Shahbaz

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday issued notices to Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz, the attorney general of Pakistan and others on the second petition filed by the PTI, requesting the court to declare Hamza's election as CM illegal

The petition was moved by PTI parliamentarians Zainab Umair, Shamsa Ali and Umum Banin Ali and was accepted for hearing by LHC Justice Shujaat Ali Khan. As the hearing commenced, Assistant Advocate General Tayyab Jan, while raising an objection, demanded that the petition be dismissed instantly. He argued that matters of parliament were not supposed to be brought to court. He said that even the petitioners could bring a no-confidence motion against Hamza.

Advocate Azhar Siddique, the petitioners' counsel, argued that after the Supreme Court of Pakistan's analysis of Article 63-A of the Constitution, which deals with defection by parliamentarians, the position of dissident PTI MPAs had become clear. After subtracting the votes of the defecting lawmakers,Hamza no longer held the majority to work as chief minister. The court, after hearing arguments of both the parties, issued notices to Hamza, the AGP, advocate general of Punjab and parliamentary secretary and sought written responses from them by June 20.