The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Attorney General (AG) to submit his detailed statement on June 12, regarding the petition seeking stay order on Election Commission's (EC) notification, which declared Shahbaz Sharif, the president PML-N, member of the Punjab Assembly from PP-48, Bhakkar.
A three-member bench of the apex court comprising Justice Mohammad Moosa K. Leghari, Justice Sheikh Hakim Ali, and Justice Muhammad Farrukh Mahmud adjourned the hearing of the case till June 12.
Meanwhile, Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan, the Speaker, Punjab Assembly, filed an application through Advocate Khawaja Harris, to be considered as a party in the case being custodian of the House. Ahmad Raza Qasuri appeared before the court as counsel for the petitioner Syed Khurram Shah while Advocate Akram Sheikh represented Shahbaz Sharif.
Syed Khurram Shah had filed a petition under Article 185 (3) of the Constitution which prays that during the pendency of this petition, the operation of the order by the Returning Officer (RO) and the notification issued by the Chief Election Commissioner may be suspended and kept in abeyance.
In addition, Shahbaz Sharif be restrained from taking oath as member of the Punjab Assembly or participating in the assembly proceedings, the petition said. Earlier, the court had said that it can not issue any such order without hearing the concerned party.
On Monday, Ahmad Raza Qasuri argued that Shahbaz Sharif was alleged for having illegal assets of Rs 6,146 million and was disqualified from the general elections 2002. These charges still persist as Shahbaz Sharif has not made any clarification to the RO, he added. The court said that it is the duty of Election Tribunal to check the assets of a candidate and that process has been completed.
Qasuri said that a similar matter of illegal assets was pending in the Lahore High Court (LHC), therefore, an interim relief should be given to the petitioner. At that, Attorney General Malik Muhammad Qayyum presenting his opinion said that in this respect the LHC should be asked to dispose of the matter as early as possible. Akram Sheikh said that such groundless blames should have to be made in public meetings instead of the court as the court does not entertain such things.
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