PTI counsel refuses to appear in PM's disqualification case at Quetta registry

The bench said it would give its verdict whether or not he would appear at the Quetta registry

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) counsel has refused to appear before the Supreme Court's Quetta registry for hearing of the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification case scheduled for November 10 .

As a three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by acting Chief Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, on Thursday decided to resume Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification case at the Quetta Registry on November 10, Irfan Qadir -- counsel for PTI leader Ishaq Ahmad Khakwani -- stated that their matter is different from that of Gohar Abbas Sindhu’s case who had challenged the Lahore High Court’s decision to reject his plea, seeking the disqualification of the prime minister.

The counsel, while referring the court’s earlier order, said the bench had delinked their case from the plea of the Insaf Lawyers Forum senior vice president. However, it has been listed with his appeal this week again.

Qadir, while expressing dissatisfaction over the court’s proceedings in this case, stated that despite sitting in the courtroom the whole day, he was not heard in the matter. The counsel further contended that justice is not being done in this case.

He reiterated his stance that their appeal against the registrar office’s decision to reject the plea regarding the recusal of Justice Khawaja is not being fixed so far. The counsel complained that he has not been heard for 65 days.

The bench, however, rejected his stance. And upon this, the counsel said that they would not appear before the bench at the Quetta registry.

To this, the bench said it would give its verdict whether or not the disgruntled counsel appears at the Quetta registry. In response, the Qadir said he would challenge the court’s October 6 order in this matter.

Meanwhile, Qadir, while talking to The Express Tribune said he is waiting for the court’s October 6 order in this case for filing a comprehensive review petition, which has already been drafted.

He questioned how the bench could give its ruling in one day in the Quetta registry if it has been unable to do so in the past 66 days at the Islamabad registry.

The counsel further said that while the bench is hearing cases of local people, this case should not be heard at the Quetta registry.

During the hearing, the court observed that it would first examine whether the allegation of liar against the premier is correct or not. The court maintained that if the charge is not maintainable, it would be questioned as to how an applicant could approach the court for the premier’s disqualification.

It said that a meeting between the army chief and the prime minister is a routine affair, and on the basis of their meetings, whether the cases could be made.

The court also rejected Attorney General for Pakistan to refer this matter before the larger bench, and said no larger bench was constituted regarding the interpretation of Article 63. The hearing of the case will be resumed on November 10 at the Quetta registry.

All three petitioners claim the premier had first asked army chief General Raheel Sharif to act as a ‘mediator’ between the government and protesting parties – PTI and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) – and to serve as a ‘guarantor’ to any agreement with the parties.

He alleged that the premier had later lied in front of Parliament and denied making any such request to the army chief and should therefore be disqualified.