Pakistan: Security beefed up outside Supreme Court ahead of verdict over deputy speaker's ruling

Islamabad: Security has been tightened outside the Supreme Court of Pakistan as Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, after noting that the deputy speaker’s ruling to dismiss the no-trust motion against Imran Khan was a violation of Article 95, said that the verdict will be delivered at 7:30 pm on Thursday. The remark by the Chief Justice came during the hearing of the National Assembly proceedings case, as the apex court resumed deliberation over the case for the fifth consecutive day today. As the time of the verdict inches closer, the security has been tightened outside Pakistan Supreme Court. When asked about the possible court verdict, the lawyers outside the court said that nothing can be commented on as the matter is sub judice. One of the lawyers said that the Supreme Court will give its decision by interpreting Article 5 adding that the decision by the top court will be in favour of the nation. The apex court’s five-member larger bench – headed by Justice Bandial and comprising Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Aijazul Ahsan, Justice Mazhar Alam, and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel – is hearing the case. At the outset of the hearing, Barrister Ali Zafar, representing President Arif Alvi, came to the rostrum and assured the court of completing his arguments within 10 minutes. The CJP had taken suo motu notice of the constitutional crisis that was triggered after Suri disallowed voting on the motion on April 3, deeming it “unconstitutional” – a move that the Opposition said was a blatant violation of the Constitution. The judge maintained in a written judgment issued during Sunday’s hearing that his fellow judges had approached him and had expressed concern over the situation. “Any orders and actions that Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Arif Alvi regarding the dissolution of the National Assembly shall be subject to the order of this court,” CJP Bandial had said taking the notice on Sunday. Earlier, the Supreme Court restrained state institutions from taking any extra-constitutional steps and directed them to act strictly in accordance with the Constitution, besides asking all political forces of the country to remain peaceful. The joint Opposition has also prepared a petition to cancel the ruling of the deputy speakers under which the National Assembly session was adjourned for an indefinite period as Suri cancelled the voting on the no-confidence motion, terming it “unconstitutional”. According to the petition prepared by the joint Opposition, the speaker should be directed to convene the session today as “the deputy speaker cannot adjourn the session as it is unconstitutional.” Furthermore, the Opposition has filed a petition against President Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan, Speaker NA Asad Qaiser, and Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri for violating the Constitution. Meanwhile, Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has also filed a petition in the Supreme Court on the constitutional crisis. The constitutional petition filed by SCBA states that voting of no-confidence motion was a must, and the speaker cannot cancel the voting by a ruling. Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.