SCBA to move SC to stave off constitutional crisis

Sounding alarm over the precarious political situation, the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on Wednesday said that the body would file a petition in the apex court to prevent a potential constitutional crisis stemming from the extraordinary sequence of political developments.

SCBA President Muhammad Ahsan Bhoon revealed the association’s decision during a press conference in Islamabad. Major legal bodies and associations were in attendance and mulled over the prevailing political situation.

Urging both the ruling party and the opposition to refrain from taking out rallies and simmer down the political heat, Bhoon said that both sides should be stopped from creating a crisis in the country and the constitutional procedure for the no-confidence vote must not be impeded.

The body highlighted that in case the government loses the no-confidence vote, a smooth political transition should take place as per the constitutional provisions and if it survives the vote, the opposition would be bound by law to respect the prime minister’s mandate.

Read More: No-confidence motion to be tabled after long march: Shah

“The constitutional method for no-confidence motion is that the speaker should convene a session of the National Assembly," he stressed and added that all MNAs should be given the right to vote.

The meeting also cautioned that any attempt to jeopardise the holding of free and fair voting would translate into a volatile political situation.

The participants of the meeting said the political rhetoric around the no-confidence vote was regrettable and asked politicians to not resort to abuses and epithets. “Look at the kind of language being used in the current situation,” Bhoon said.

“The prime minister said he would hold a rally of one million whereas the information minister says that whoever wants to vote would have to go through these one million people. Maulana Fazlur Rehman has called for workers from all over the country,” he said.

Bhoon added that this hostility was pushing the country to the brink of a constitutional crisis. Therefore, a petition in this regard would be filed in the apex court.

“All matters should be dealt with understanding,” he said.

It is pertinent to mention that earlier this month the lawyers’ apex body had said that the no-trust motion filed by the opposition parties against Prime Minister Imran Khan is in accordance with the Constitution.

In a statement, the SCBA said that it is “closely monitoring the rather fragile political situation of the country, and is of the opinion that the resolution submitted by the opposition is constitutional and in accordance with Article 95.

It further said that the no-trust motion contains no “ultra vires” to the Constitution and has been conducted under proper authority.