SC bench issues notice to Pervaiz Elahi in CM Hamza’s removal case

The constitutional bench of the Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday issued a notice to former Punjab chief minister and PTI President Chaudhry Pervez Elahi on the review petition filed by a PML-N leader Hamza Shehbaz in the case of his removal from the post of the Punjab chief minister, reported 24NewsHD TV channel. 

A seven-member bench, headed by Justice Ameenuddin Khan, heard the plea.

The constitutional bench also issued notices to the additional attorney general and other parties to the case. 

SC seeks report in audio leaks commission case

Also on Thursday, the apex court’s constitutional bench sought a report from the federal government in the audio leaks commission case. 

The bench ordered the attorney general of Pakistan (AGP) to inform the court of the government’s reply. 

Speaking on the occasion, Justice Ameenuddin Khan said that the commission’s chairman had retired, while another member of the commission had become an SC judge.

The AGP requested the bench to give him time so that he could know whether the government wanted to form a new commission. “There is a legal point in the case,” he added. 

Justice Ameen remarked that if a new commission was formed, then the case under review would lose its significance.

Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar said that the cabinet’s decision on the formation of the commission was still relevant. 

Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel asked whether the government would nominate judges for the commission after consultations with the chief justice of Pakistan (CJP). 

The attorney general replied that the law did not make consultations mandatory.

Justice Mandokhel, on the occasion, vowed he would not allow the court’s authority to be eroded. “What will be the case if the chief justice refuses to cooperate with the government in the naming of the judges?”

The bench adjourned the case hearing until next week.

Bench summons provincial IGPs, home secretaries 

During the hearing of the missing children case, the bench summoned the IGPs and home secretaries of all four provinces on the next hearing.

Taking notice of the kidnapping of a child from Quetta, the bench also sought a report on the incident. 

Justice Mandokhel, on the occasion, lamented that a child had gone missing from Quetta six days ago. “Protest demonstrations have jammed the entire city. And still, the government has not budged even by an inch,” he lamented.

Justice Musarrat Hilali questioned whether sex trafficking had been legalized in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). “The provincial government, in its report, has said there is no sex trafficking in KP.”

Bench disposes of Sindh CM disqualification plea 

Also on Thursday, the bench disposed of the petition, seeking disqualification of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah due to non-perusal of the case. 

A citizen named Mahmood Akhtar Naqvi had filed the petition.

Bench issues notices to LHC registrar, AG, Punjab

The bench, in the case of powers of high courts’ judges, issued notices to the Lahore High Court (LHC) registrar and the advocate general of Punjab.

Later, the bench adjourned the case’s hearing for an indefinite time period. 

Bench summons KP finance secy, secy works & dept, secy education 

Also on Thursday, the bench summoned the KP finance secretary, provincial works and department secretary and secretary education in the province’s government schools’ dilapidated condition case.

Reporter: Amanat Gishkori