ISLAMABAD (INP): The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday dismissed a petition of PTI against the ‘phase-wise’ acceptance of resignations of its MNAs. Chief Athar Minallah after hearing arguments of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) counsel dismissed the petition.
Chief Justice of the high court remarked that the Speaker after being satisfied has approved 11 resignations of the PTI MNAs. “This court is not authorized to review the level of satisfaction of the Speaker,” Justice Minallah remarked. “We have to change our thinking and to respect the Parliament,” Chief Justice IHC said.
“Islamabad High Court has set some parameters in its prior decision,” the bench observed. “It is not their duty to represent their voters in the Parliament till their resignations are approved,” Justice Minallah questioned. “Every member who has resigned, should individually appear before the Speaker to verify his resignation,” the judge said. “This court will not issue instructions to the Speaker,” Justice Athar Minallah remarked.
“What the deputy speaker did was against the law and judicial decisions,” he observed. “The court will not interfere in the affairs of the parliament,” the bench said. PTI counsel Faisal Chaudhry in his arguments said that the efforts are being made to break the party with pick and choose. “The members are not alone, they are representatives of their constituencies. All people are bound to follow the constitution and the law,” Justice Minallah said.
PTI lawyer said that deputy speaker Qasim Suri had earlier approved resignations of the PTI members. “The notification of deputy speaker Qasim Suri was unconstitutional,” Chief Justice IHC said. It is pertinent to mention here that NA Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf had accepted resignations of 11 PTI MNAs.
Court sets aside PEMRA order banning Imran’s live speeches: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday nullified the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority’s (Pemra) order to ban the live telecast of PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s speeches.
IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah issued three-page written order on ex-prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s plea challenging the Pemra ban against his live speeches. In a written judgment, the court observed that counsel, who appeared on behalf of PEMRA, was not able to satisfy the Court that a blanket prohibition order could be passed under section 27 of the PEMRA Ordinance.
The judgment further reads: “if media channels “fail to implement directions regarding delaying mechanism, then PEMRA will be expected to proceed against such delinquent licencees in accordance with the law.” The petition – challenging the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority’s (PEMRA) ban on live telecast of speech – was filed by Imran Khan’s lawyers, who requested the court to set aside the order of the ban.
The petition stated, “While referring to the violence against party member Shahbaz Gill, Imran had requested to take legal action against those responsible.” On August 21, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) slapped a ban on telecast of live speeches of former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on all TV channels with immediate effect.
IHC directs Imran to be included in police investigation: Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan to be included in investigation with the police in the contempt of court case against him for threatening a female judge. IHC stopped police to present a challan against the PTI Chairman. While a JIT has been formed against Imran Khan in contempt of court case.
The court has ordered the police to complete investigation and submit their report. Earlier, IHC directed the former Prime Minister Imran Khan to resubmit his response in the contempt of court case.
