UNS: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday reserved verdict in the suo motu case taken up to determine who has the authority to announce a date for the elections.
A five-member bench headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Shah and Justice Mandokhail will pronounce the verdict on Wednesday at 11am.
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umar Ata Bandial thanked all the lawyers for assisting the apex court throughout the hearing.
“I cannot say when will we be back [to announce the verdict],” the CJP added.
Earlier today, the court directed the political parties – both in power and opposition – to sit together to work out the date for the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa elections.
The apex court directed PTI leaders Shireen Mazari and Fawad Chaudhry to hold consultation with party chairman, Imran Khan, and legal team of the ruling coalition to consult with their leaders on the election date.
The latest directive was issued after the three ruling parties – PML-N, PPP and JUI-F – withdrew the plea seeking formation of the full bench to hear the suo motu case following the recusal of four judges from the bench. While withdrawing the petition, Farooq H Naek said the ruling partners did not want to pursue the plea.
Justice Mansoor remarked the political parties should think about the country instead of indulging in the legal battle.
Previously, the case was being heard by the nine-member bench but it split on Monday into a five-judge bench after four judges – Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Athar Minallah – recused themselves from hearing the case.
The Chairperson stated that inhuman forces neither spared Kashmiri leaders nor women and children, as they subjected to their brutalities all and sundry with their planned nefarious plan to spread fear in the valley to silent the dissenting voices but no such policy of barbarity worked rather it further fanned the fire.
