<<PTI to challenge LHC’s verdict on Hamza Shehbaz case in SC: Imran Khan>>
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday declared the oath of Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz as illegal and ordered recounting of votes for the election of Punjab’s chief minister held on April 16, directing that votes of 25 dissident PTI MPAs be excluded from the recounting process,
A five-member larger bench comprising Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan, Justice Shahid Jamil Khan, Justice Shehram Sarwar Chaudhry, Justice Sajid Mahmood Sethi and Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh announced the eight-page verdict with a 4-1 majority.
Justice Sajid Mehmood Sethi dissented with his fellow judges.
Lahore High Court (LHC) accepting the PTI’s intra-court appeals declared the oath of Hamza Shehbaz as null and void.
court in its eight-page written verdict ordered the presiding officer to recount the votes polled during the election of chief minister by excluding the 25 votes of PTI rebel MPAs who voted for Hamza Shehbaz on April 16 last.
In short order issued after the hearing on Thursday, the LHC instructed that votes in the election held on April 16 be recounted after excluding 25 votes of the defecting PTI lawmakers. If the required majority for Hamza — which is 186 votes in the 371-member strong house — to stay the CM is not secured, election will be held again under Article 130(4), unless another candidate has majority votes.
According to Article 130(4), in the second round of voting, a member will not require 186 votes but needs a simple majority of those “present and voting” to be elected chief minister.
The court said that Hamza Shehbaz will cease to be the chief minister if he loses the required majority after the exclusion of 25 votes by the presiding officer.
Meanwhile Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan Thursday announced that his party will challenge the Lahore High Court’s verdict over Hamza Shehbaz case in the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP),
Addressing a gathering at the Islamabad High Court Bar, Imran questioned whether it is in best interests of the country to have such people imposed on it.
Imran Khan stated that no such pressure was applied to the media in any democracy which exists today, adding that he challenges the person on bail to find work.
Imran Khan went on to that Pakistan was not founded to pass from one enslavement to another, adding that the main reason for the establishment of Pakistan was that people desired independence.
Imran Khan stated that Rs7000b of poor countries’ money is in offshore banks, adding that there is no accountability of the powerful in affluent countries.
PTI Chairman stated that the rule of law was the most important principle of Riyasat-i-Madina, adding that all developed countries cannot imprison wealthiest individuals. Imran said only minor thieves have been apprehended in developed countries.
former prime minister stated that when he saw the cipher, he read it three times to ensure that it was genuine, adding that it was written in the cipher that it was just his (Imran Khan’s) decision to travel to Russia. He went on to say that the consulate informed that it was a shared decision, not just his (Imran’s).
