Pakistan’s Chief Justice Justice Umar Ata Bandial stated that they wished to conclude the case today, as the Supreme Court resumed hearings on Wednesday on its suo motu notice regarding the National Assembly deputy speaker’s ruling rejecting a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The court previously stated that it will only decide whether the deputy speaker violated the constitution by refusing to allow a vote on a motion of no confidence.
Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Pakistan’s Chief Justice, stated that all orders and actions taken by the prime minister and president regarding the dissolution of the National Assembly will be subject to the court’s order.
The Prime Minister, in a tweet on the eve of the court hearing, urged citizens to come out in force to defend democracy. “A country’s sovereignty and democracy are always best defended by its people. The people must rise up and defend Pakistan’s sovereignty and democracy against this latest and most heinous assault on them by a foreign power via local collaborators — our Mir Jafars and Mir Sadiqs.”
On Wednesday, while speaking to reporters outside the courthouse, one of the government’s lawyers, Babar Awan, stated that while the rival lawyers took three days to present their case to the court, they will take far less time.
He added that the court ruling on the interpretation of Article 63 was still pending to reassure the public that the rule of law should exist.
The court subpoenaed the minutes of the March 31 and April 3 government meetings, as well as the order of the deputy speaker rejecting the no-confidence motion, during Tuesday’s hearing.
