SC hints at proceedings against Suri

Summons court registrar for not fixing appeal related to alleged rigging in 2018 election

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court on Tuesday hinted at taking action against former National Assembly deputy speaker Qasim Suri for violating the Constitution, summoning the court registrar for not fixing the appeal on a matter related to the alleged rigging in his election in 2018.

A three-member bench led by Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa and comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Musarrat Hilali heard Suri’s appeal against the decision of an election tribunal that annulled his victory from NA-265 constituency in the 2018 general election and ordered re-election.

At the outset of the hearing, Suri’s lawyer Naeem Bukhari apprised the court that the matter had become ineffective as his client had resigned from the National Assembly in April 2021.

To a court query, Bukhari said that Suri had filed the appeal against the tribunal’s decision before his resignation.

The lawyer for Lashkari Raisani, Suri’s opponent, argued via a video link, saying that if the case was dismissed for being infructuous, the decision of the election tribunal would be reinstated and the appellant would have to return the benefits he received as a National Assembly member.

Speaking to Bukhari, the chief justice said that his client was not a member of the National Assembly after the decision of the election tribunal on Sept 27, 2019.

He added that the matter could not be declared as infructuous as Suri served his term and received financial benefits on the stay order.

Read also: SC summons Qasim Suri in election rigging case

If the Supreme Court was used, “we will not let go of the matter”, the chief justice warned.

He also remarked that Suri violated the Constitution by stopping a constitutional process, a reference to his ruling to dismiss the no-confidence motion in 2021, which was later overturned by the Supreme Court.

Bukhari apprised the court that the case was fixed for hearing on Jan 27, 2020 and was clubbed with other cases.

To another court query, as to why the case was clubbed with other cases, Bukhari expressed his ignorance about the other cases.

The chief justice said that this case was clubbed with other cases for a specific purpose and the court would conduct an internal inquiry into the matter.

He told the lawyer to reply to the questions raised by the court and ordered for fixing the case for hearing after one month.