Cannot defend deputy speaker’s ruling: AGP Khalid Jawed

By
Web Desk

April 07, 2022

Attorney-General for Pakistan, Khalid Jawed Khan arrives to attend a hearing outside the Supreme Court building in Islamabad on April 7, 2022. — AFP
Attorney-General for Pakistan, Khalid Jawed Khan arrives to attend a hearing outside the Supreme Court building in Islamabad on April 7, 2022. — AFP

  • AGP Khan presents arguments before SC in suo motu notice.
  • No MP can be called “traitor” without court’s order, AGP says.
  • AGP Khan defends PM Imran Khan's decision to dissolve NA.

Attorney General Khalid Jawed Khan told the Supreme Court today that he cannot defend the ruling of National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri.

On Sunday, the deputy speaker had blocked a no-confidence resolution against Prime Minister Imran Khan, terming it a “foreign conspiracy”. Later the prime minister dissolved the national assembly and called for a fresh election.

On the same day, Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandia took suo motu notice of the political crisis while the Opposition challenged the government’s “unconstitutional” act in the top court.

Presenting his arguments at the final hearing of the case today, the attorney general said that he could not defend the deputy speaker’s ruling and added that no member of the assembly can be called a “traitor” without a court’s order.

On the vote of no-confidence, the attorney general said that 172 lawmakers need to be present in the lower house when a motion is accepted. But on March 28, only 161 members were present, which meant that the vote of the no-trust motion was dismissed on that day, he said.

AG Khan also said that the prime minister would have been the last person to dissolve the assemblies if it was not necessary. He added that the prime minister has the power to dissolve assemblies and does not need to give a reason for it.

He further stated that if the speaker suspended a lawmaker then he/she cannot come to the courts for reinstatement.

At one point the attorney general also said that nowhere in the world does an opposition leader become prime minister.

The chief justice remarked that the real problem arose with the dissolution of the assembly, as it cannot be dissolved during a no-confidence motion.

The chief justice also asked the attorney general that since he says that a snap election is the only solution, why is there no other solution?