Petition against Prime Minister: SHC gives time to federal law officer for comments

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday gave time to federal law officer to file comments in a petition seeking the disqualification of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Interior Minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan for making "false" statements on the floor of National Assembly. The petitioners, Moulvi Iqbal Haider and Maqsood Ahmed, moved the court requesting it to declare that Nawaz Sharif and Chaudhry Nisar Ali stand disqualified under Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution for speaking "lies" in the National Assembly.
The petitioners submitted that earlier premier in meeting with Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Raheel Sharif had asked the latter to intervene in the political crisis in order to resolve it. When a question regarding CoAS's intervention was raised in the national assembly, both premier and interior ministry distanced them from having asked for CoAS's arbitration, they added.
Later, they said, ISPR issued a statement clarifying that CoAS was asked by government to play a facilitative role. The petitioners said that Sharif and Nisar had no right to retain their offices as they stand disqualified under Articles 62 and 63 for speaking "lies", adding that they attempted to disgrace and defame the top security institution. During the preliminary hearing, the court had tagged the matter with another petition filed by Iqbal Hiader through which he sought dissolution of national and provincial assemblies and formation of a national government.
Haider submitted that due to ongoing tense political situation, the constitutional machinery has broken down throughout the country. The federal and provincial assemblies should be dissolved and a national government with assistance of the armed forces be formed comprising all the parties, he said.