SIC nominates Zartaj Gul as parliamentary leader in NA

PTI founder Imran Khan approved Gul's appointment as parliamentary leader

KARACHI:

PTI leader Zartaj Gul has been nominated as the parliamentary leader in the National Assembly by the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).

PTI founding chairman Imran Khan approved Gul's appointment as parliamentary leader. Earlier, PTI had proposed four names for the parliamentary leader in the NA, which included Zartaj Gul, Sahibzada Mehboob Sultan, Zain Qureshi, and Ahmed Chatha.

Previously, a two-member bench of the Sindh High Court (SHC), led by Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, heard the case challenging the recognition of SIC as a parliamentary party, and dismissed the petition.

Read Ball now in PTI’s court

The petitioner's lawyer contended that a parliamentary party is defined as one that has secured a position in either the national or provincial assembly, as per the Constitution's Article 63A.

Adding that SIC did not win a single seat in any of the assemblies that disqualifies it to be considered as a parliamentary party under the law.

CJ Abbasi observed that the speaker has the authority to determine which parties are parliamentary and which are not, not the court.

The court dismissed the petition, instructing Maulvi Iqbal Haider to consult the speaker.