Supreme Court adjourns hearing on no-trust vote dismissal till April 6

Supreme Court adjourns hearing on no-trust vote dismissal till April 6!

 The Supreme Court of Pakistan has adjourned the hearing of one of the most crucial cases in the country’s history and will resume it on Wednesday at noon.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial said that the court wanted to wrap up the case by Wednesday (tomorrow) and they will try to deliver a verdict on the same day.

During Tuesday’s hearing, CJP Umar Ata Bandial summoned the March 31 order of the deputy speaker and minutes of the March 31 and April 3 meetings.

The CJP remarked that the rules permit tabling of the no-confidence motion.

“The Constitution cannot be made ineffective through the rules,” he added.

Justice Muneeb Akhtar remarked that in accordance with the Constitution it was mandatory to hold voting on a no-trust motion within seven days.

Justice Muneeb inquired how can the court interfere in the National Assembly’s proceedings?

Justice Jamal Khan said that not holding voting on the no-trust motion was not a procedural mistake rather it was a violation of the Constitution.

Highlights of Tuesday’s hearing:

• CJP Bandial directed NA speaker’s counsel Naeem Bokhari to present the minutes of the crucial NA session held on March 31 to debate the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan.
• PPP counsel Senator Raza Rabbani completed his arguments.
• “This is a civilian coup. A stance was created through an alleged cable which is based on malafide intent,” Senator Raza Rabbani said, adding that the no-confidence motion against the prime minister was tabled on March 28 but the NA session was adjourned.
• The PPP’s counsel further stated that the deputy speaker’s ruling does not have constitutional protections under Article 69.
• PML-N’s counsel Makhdoom Ali Khan presented his arguments before the court.

• Makhdoom Ali Khan narrated the NA’s proceedings since the session of March 28 when the leader of the Opposition Shahbaz Sharif was allowed to table the no-trust resolution against PM Imran Khan till April 3, the day fixed for voting on the motion. Khan said that a debate had to be held on the no-trust motion on March 31’s session under Rule 37 but it didn’t happen. He asked if Suri, as the deputy speaker, had the authority to dismiss the resolution in this way. “The entire case is based on the question of whether the deputy speaker can give such a ruling,” he added.

SC took suo motu notice of the constitutional crisis that erupted after the no-trust motion against PM Imran Khan was deemed “unconstitutional.”

The five-member larger bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial included Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Munib Akhtar, and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail.