Politics

Govt to approach Supreme Court to seek clarity on Article 63(A): Fawad Chaudhry

Published

3 years ago

Farwa

Fawad Chaudhry says SC will be requested to hear case daily.
PM Imran Khan says will take decisions to curb horse-trading.
He rules out “minus one”policy to save PTI govt.

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has decided to approach the Supreme Court for interpretation of Article 63-A as several PTI lawmakers have announced to vote on the no-trust motion, in a violation of the party policy, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said Friday.

The decision was taken during a consultative meeting of the PTI’s political committee held today with Prime Minister Imran Khan in the chair.

The meeting was convened to discuss the legal options available to act against the disgruntled lawmakers and counter the Opposition’s move to dislodge the government of Imran Khan.

It came to light Thursday that around 24 PTI MNAs were residing at the Sindh House in Islamabad — and some of them had publicly announced to go against the party.

Hours later, the prime minister called a meeting of the senior party leadership and directed National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser to approach the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against the disgruntled members.

In a series of tweets today, Fawad Chaudhry said the government would file a petition under Article 186 of the Constitution to seek the interpretation of Article 63-A.

حکومت نے فیصلہ کیا ہے کہ آرٹیکل 63-A کی تشریح کیلئے سپریم کورٹ میں آرٹیکل 186 کے تحت ریفرینس فائل کیا جائیگا، سپریم کورٹ سے رائے مانگی جائیگی کہ جب ایک پارٹی کے ممبران واضع طور پر ہارس ٹریڈنگ میں ملوث ہوں اور پیسوں کے بدلے وفاداریاں تبدیل کریں تو ان کے ووٹ کی قانونی حیئثت کیا ہے
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) March 18, 2022

“… we will seek the Supreme Court’s interpretation as to what will be the standing of a party member’s vote who is found in violation of the party’s policy and is involved in horsetrading,” the federal minister said.

The information minister said the government would seek the apex court’s guidance on whether a person, who shifts loyalty for monetary benefit, should be ineligible for a lifetime for becoming a lawmaker or whether they could contest polls again and be elected to parliament.

“The Supreme Court will be requested to hear the case on a daily basis,” he said.

The prime minister, according to sources, assigned the responsibility for filing the reference in the apex court to PTI Additional Secretary Amir Mahmood Kiani and Adviser to Prime Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan.

“We will take such decisions that no one will be able to indulge in horsetrading next time,” the prime minister told the participants.

The premier also directed the PTI leaders present in the meeting to ramp up the preparations for the March 27 rally — where the ruling party plans on gathering one million people, a day before the voting on the no-trust motion.

“All the lawmakers and party members should participate,” he said.

“No matter how much money they spend to remove me, I will fight them,” he said.

‘Will not impose governor’s rule in Sindh’

Moreover, the prime minister, according to sources, decided against taking extreme measures and announced that the federal government will not impose the governor’s rule in Sindh.

‘We will not impose governor’s rule in Sindh,” he said.

Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed had a day earlier proposed the premier take the step in order to stop “horsetrading” taking place at the Sindh House.

During the meeting, the majority of the participants opposed the move after the interior minister presented a summary in this regard.

“Only two federal ministers backed the idea,” sources said.

The PM, however, directed to deliberate further on the issue, saying the situation will deteriorate further by imposing the governor’s rule.

‘No minus one’

PM Imran Khan also said that some people were talking about a “minus one” policy.

“This cannot happen in any scenario.”

“Fortunately, they are requesting […] this will boost our morale,” he said, after MQM-P and PML-Q proposed a “minus Imran Khan” formula in a bid to save the PTI-led government.

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Reaction to the PTI protest call by Fazlur Rehman

Published

1 day ago

Farwa

Maulana Fazlur Rehman, speaking on a private television station, said that the PTI is always coming to the streets, which really lessens the impact of a protest.

He also suggested to the PTI leadership that rather than carrying on with the agitation, it should finally put a hard hand down, which would be the final nail in the coffin.

He continued, citing the JUI protests as an example, saying, “We had a strong grip over our protesters and workers, so neither road was closed nor any property damage occurred during protests.”

The PTI has the right to protest, but Maulana Fazlur Rehman described the party’s agitation strategy as insufficient, stating that it is currently being “exposed which maynot be a good sign’.

Ali Amin Gandapur, the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, promised not to go back home unless the PTI founder was freed. During their demonstration, Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, encouraged the party officials to come up with strategies to avoid being arrested.

According to an alleged audio recording, she stated that November 24 will be a loyalty test for PTI members.

Additionally, the government of Islamabad has enforced section 144 for a period of two months, which prohibits processions, rallies, demonstrations, and meetings of five or more individuals in the city.

As per the notification, the prohibition forbade meetings in any public space inside the boundaries of Islamabad, including the Red Zone, which encompasses important government buildings, diplomatic missions, and other sensitive sites.

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PTI representatives conjecture in the media over Imran’s approval of bail: FIA investigator

Published

2 days ago

Farwa

The hearing on the PTI founder’s bail application in the Toshakhana-2 case has resumed at the Islamabad High Court (IHC), with Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb serving as the presider.

The hearing was attended by the defense attorney, Barrister Salman Safdar, and FIA prosecutor Zulfiqar Abbas Naqvi.

Judge Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb told the FIA prosecutor to “leave the media alone and exempt yourself from them” in order to avoid commenting on the media. The statement followed the prosecutor’s assertion that the bail would be granted, which had previously been reported by media sources.

In addition, the court questioned whether the receipts in question were issued in the name of Bushra Bibi or the PTI founder itself. Bushra Bibi’s name was on the receipts listed in the challan, according to Barrister Salman Safdar.

Defense arguments
The defense expressed displeasure about the case’s 3.5-year registration wait. The prosecution has swore in Sohaib Abbasi and made Inamullah Shah a crucial witness without requiring them to take an oath.

Barrister Salman Safdar highlighted that multiple agencies, including NAB, FIA, Police, and the Election Commission, have initiated actions related to the Toshakhana case, suggesting procedural redundancy.

Regarding a phony Toshakhana receipt, he contended, the Kohsar Police Station has also filed a case.

Position of the prosecution
The FIA prosecutor, Umair Majeed Malik, maintained that the valuation of the jewelry set mentioned in the case would be explained in the prosecution’s evidence.Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb remarked, “If the media does not spread sensationalism, how will they conduct their business?” He dismissed rumors about his health, stating that he was present and hearing the case despite such reports.

Status of Co-Accused
The court was informed that Bushra Bibi, a co-accused in the case, is currently on interim bail and awaiting a decision by Judge Afzal Majuka. Barrister Salman Safdar expressed hope that Judge Majuka would soon announce his verdict.

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Naqvi visits Fazl to express gratitude for contributions to the 26th amendment.

Published

3 days ago

Farwa

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi convened with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman to deliberate on issues of shared concern and the current political landscape in the nation.

In today’s meeting in Islamabad, Mr. Naqvi asked about Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s health and sent his best wishes for the JUI chief’s well-being and future pursuits.

Naqvi extended his appreciation to Maulana Fazlur Rehman for his crucial contribution to the enactment of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which he characterised as a significant milestone in Pakistan’s legislative history.

Following the meeting, Naqvi commended Mr. Fazlur Rehman’s commitment to the nation, asserting, “Maulana Fazlur Rehman has consistently prioritised Pakistan’s interests, and his contributions to the country are indispensable.”

The experienced politician reaffirmed his dedication to Pakistan and its populace, stating, “Our priority has consistently been Pakistan and the well-being of its citizens.”

Senator Kamran Murtaza attended the meeting.