ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) on Thursday disposed of pleas against proposed constitutional amendment due to eleventh hour withdrawal by senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawyer Hamid Khan.
A three-member bench led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa disposed of joint pleas filed by Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Abid Zuberi and other applicants.
Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan were also part of the bench.
THE PROCEEDINGS
It must be noted that six members of Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) along with Balochistan Bar Council (BPC) had approached the apex court against proposed constitutional amendment.
When Advocate Hamid Khan sought to withdraw petition, Chief Justice Isa asked him whether he was appointed only to withdraw the application. “Abid Zuberi could have withdrawn the application himself,” said the CJP.
The Chief Justice remarked that a second application is also scheduled for hearing with objections. However, Hamid Khan requested “withdrawal of both the applications.”
It may be noted that on October 12, the Supreme Court of Pakistan constituted a three-member bench to hear the petition against the proposed constitutional amendment.
Advocate Abid Zubiri had filed a constitutional petition against the proposed constitutional amendment. The Federal Ministry of Law, the four provinces, the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Senate, the Principal Secretaries, the Prime Minister and the President were made the parties.
The petitioner had requested that the proposed constitutional amendments be declared against the Constitution of Pakistan and the federal government be restrained from introducing the bill in the Parliament.