Islamabad, April 5 : Pakistan Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of case filed against National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri’s “unconstitutional act” till Wednesday. According to Geo TV, Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial directed NA speaker’s counsel Naeem Bokhari to present the minutes of the crucial NA session held on March 31 to debate on the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan. A five-member larger bench of the court, headed by Justice Bandial and comprising Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Aijazul Ahsan, Justice Mazhar Alam, and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel resumed hearing on the case. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Raza Rabbani and PML-N senior counsel Makhdoom Ali Khan presented their arguments before the court. Rabbani said, “This is a civilian coup. A stance was created through an alleged cable which is based on malafide intent.” The no-confidence motion against the PM was tabled on March 28 but the Assembly session was adjourned. He maintained that Suri gave the ruling without putting the documents before the parliament on Sunday. He argued that Rule 28 says the deputy speaker cannot give a ruling even if he has the authority. Rabbani said, “Deputy speaker’s ruling is illegal… no-trust motion cannot be rejected without voting on it. “Voting is mandatory within the given duration as per the Constitution. It can be dismissed only when if those who submitted it take it back and the speaker can reject it only after voting is held on it.” Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) counsel Makhdoom Ali Khan said, “The entire case is based on the question whether the deputy speaker can give such a ruling.” He contended that majority of the MNAs supported the no-confidence move as 161 lawmakers favoured it, Geo News said. On Sunday, the CJP had taken suo motu notice of constitutional crisis after the deputy speaker’s dismissed the no-confidence motion against the premier while deeming it as “unconstitutional”. VP RNJ
