ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - The PTI founder's lawyer Barrister Ali Zafar raised objections to the formation of the bench hearing the 63-A review petitions.
On Monday, the PTI founder's counsel filed an application in court.
Zafar's petition challenged the formation of the bench, arguing it was not constituted in accordance with the Practice and Procedure Act's requirements. Under the amended law, a three-member committee — comprising the Chief Justice, the most senior judge, and a judge nominated by the Chief Justice must decide bench formations.
The plea highlighted that Justice Mansoor Ali Shah was absent from the committee meeting on September 23, leaving only two judges to make the decision.
Ali Zafar argued that such a decision, made by two instead of the required three members, cannot legally form a bench under the Practice and Procedure Act. As a result, the current bench is not eligible to hear the review petition.
Also, the petition called for Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Aminuddin to recuse themselves from the case, as their earlier decision on the matter was challenged.
Meanwhile, Supreme Court senior judge Justice Muneeb Akhtar excused to hear the review appeals related to the interpretation of Article 63A, further complicating the case.
Barrister Zafar requested that the review petition be reassigned to a bench properly constituted by a three-member committee as mandated by the law.