IHC upholds objections in plea against SBP governor

Directs petitioners to submit rectified appeal within a week

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday maintained objections of the registrar’s office on an intra-court appeal (ICA), challenging appointment of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) governor and directed petitioners to submit it again after rectifications within a week.

A divisional bench, comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhter Kiyani conducted the hearing on an ICA, filed by 23 Senators of different political parties against a bench’s decision regarding the appointment.

During the course of proceeding, Justice Farooq noted there was no signature of any petitioner on the plea. The petitioners' counsel Shehbaz Latif Khosa contended all petitioners who were lawmakers, were not available to sign the plea as they hailed from various locations like Karachi and Quetta.

Addressing the counsel, Justice Farooq further remarked, “get the petition signed by the members who were available here," saying that it was not necessary for petitioners who filed petition against the SBP governor's appointment to also become party in ICA.

The court then gave one week to remove objections on ICA and adjourned hearing of the case for two weeks. It may be mentioned here that earlier an IHC bench had declared appointment of SBP Governor Tariq Bajwa as lawful while turning down the petition.

The petitioners have stated in their plea the appointment is violation of Article 4 and 25 of the Constitution and many other provisions of law and the Constitution. Therefore, they prayed to declare the said appointment as unlawful and void ab-initio.   APP