ISLAMABAD, July 26(ABC): Following the Supreme Court’s decision to continue the hearing on the Punjab chief minister’s election with the current three-member bench, the ruling coalition has decided to boycott the hearing scheduled to be held tomorrow, the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) leadership announced.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan Monday rejected the petition seeking the formation of a full bench for hearing the case of the Punjab chief minister’s election — where Hamza Shahbaz defeated Pervez Elahi.
Addressing a press conference at the Prime Minister’s House, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said if the Supreme Court doesn’t form a full court, “then we [PDM] will also reject all decisions of the judiciary as we will not appear before this three-member bench.”
“We boycott the proceedings the apex court,” Fazl announced, adding that the coalition government doesn’t want any institution to interfere in its matters.
Fazl, who is also the chief of the PDM, said that the counsellors of the government’s alliance advised the jury according to the Constitution. “The top court, however, considered our demand impartially and rejected our petition.”
Speaking on the occasion, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs and PPP Co-Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said that when a decision is being taken about an institution, the entire bench should hear the case.
Bilawal, while endorsing Fazl’s statement, said that the PPP, along with all other alliance parties of the PDM, has decided to boycott the court proceedings.