ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan Tuesday resumed hearing the case of the CM Punjab election — where Hamza Shahbaz defeated Pervez Elahi — for the third day.
Elahi, who had been defeated on July 22 after 10 PML-Q votes were rejected by Deputy Speaker Punjab Assembly Dost Mazari, had challenged the ruling in the SC.
The SC formed a three-member bench to hear the case, but the coalition government objected to it and demanded a full court take up the matter.
However, after hearing arguments from all sides for nearly eight hours on Monday, the SC decided not to form a full court bench, saying that the same bench would hear the case.
As the SC decided not to form a full bench, the ruling coalition and the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) decided to boycott the apex court’s hearing.
PTI’s Fawad Chaudhry turns guns on ruling coalition
Minutes before the proceedings of the case started, PTI senior leader Fawad Chaudhry said the government preferred to run away from the case as it does not have arguments to support its claim.
Criticising the ruling collation, the PTI leader said: “The government does not recognise the Supreme Court of Pakistan”.
Hailing the SC decision on the demand for a full court bench in the Punjab CM election case, the PTI leader said: “Such cases are heard only by senior judges across the world.”
Following the Punjab by-election results, Hamza should have tendered his resignation as Punjab CM, he said, adding that they should have corrected their mistakes and the political leadership in the province.
The ex-information minister said that democracy thrives when a person who has lost accepts their defeat, slamming the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) for its unacceptable attitude towards the SC.
“Dozens of times, bar associations have condemned such acts […] the PDM should accept the people’s decisions. This case shouldn’t have come here; don’t place political burden on the SC,” he said.
Fawad called for the judiciary to be given the freedom to function independently and highlighted that the CJP cannot be dictated.
