Disqualification Limit Case: SC expresses displeasure over absence of AG

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) on Monday (today) resumed hearing of the petitions related to the determination of time-period of disqualification under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution. The top court’s larger bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and comprises of Judges Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Azmat Saeed Justice Sheikh, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Ijazul Ahsan took up the case. During the proceedings, Attorney General (AG) couldn’t appear before the court. The court while expressed displeasure over the absence of the AG, saying how he could travel to travel to Lahore without the court's permission and fined the AG Rs10,000. The Additional Attorney General assured the top court that the AG will appear in court at 4:30pm, to which the chief justice agreed. The CJP ordered the AG to appear before the court at 4:30 and present arguments. Earlier, the apex court had also issued a public notice asking any person including any voter or member or leader of any political party who may consider it likely to be affected by the decision of the court should appear before it. On the other hand, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had informed the apex court the he will not be a party to the case pertaining to the duration of disqualification of members of the parliament. Nawaz Sharif submitted his reply before the apex court through the Advocate on Record Azam Nazeer Tarar distancing himself from the case. In the previous hearing, Justice Mian Saqib Nisar had admitted that Article 62(1)(f) of the constitution carried ‘ambiguity’ and that its interpretation was a difficult task. The bench had to interpret Article 62(1)(f) of the constitution to determine the period of disqualification of a disqualified lawmakers.