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Supreme Court Bar Association seeks Supreme Court’s intervention to prevent ‘anarchic situation’ ahead of no-trust vote

ISLAMABAD, Mar 17 (SABAH): The Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan (SCBA) on Thursday moved a constitutional petition in Supreme Court of Pakistan, urging it to direct all state functionaries as well as political stakeholders to allow peaceful execution of proceedings for the no-confidence vote in the National Assembly against the Prime Minister Imran Khan and prevent a possible “anarchic situation” that could result from the government and opposition clashing with each other.

The SCBA’s petition comes amid a heated political situation with the government and opposition trading barbs at each other and threatening to flex muscles in roadshows ahead of a crucial vote later this month that would decide the fate of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The two sides have announced to hold rallies in the capital ahead of the parliament session, prompting fears of political instability and anarchy that the SCBA expressed in its petition.

In the plea filed with the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday, the SCBA cited statements from the prime minister wherein he had said “I will fight against them until [my last breath]. I will face them and I am completely prepared for whatever they throw my way”.

It also included statements by Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, telling lawmakers that they would have to pass through a million PTI supporters to enter the National Assembly on the day of the vote.

Likewise, the petition also quoted statements from opposition leaders including JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman when he appealed to his workers to converge in Islamabad before the session “and stay on the Constitution Avenue till voting on the no-trust resolution and … provide safe passage to members to the Parliament House”.

The prime minister, the federation of Pakistan, Ministry of Defence secretary, leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, National Assembly secretary, Islamabad chief commissioner, Islamabad deputy commissioner and Islamabad police chief have been made respondents in the plea.

The petition says circumstances involving confrontation between the government and the opposition could trigger an “anarchic situation” in the country.

“It is evident from the political history of our country that preventing the constitutional process from taking its course has produced dire consequence for democracy and rule of law,” the petition says.

It said that the planned actions of the respondents were intended to disrupt and distort the vote of no-confidence against the prime minister, expected to be held on March 28.

The SCBA sought the court’s directions for all state functionaries “to act strictly in accordance with the Constitution and the law and they be restrained from acting in any manner detrimental to and unwarranted by the Constitution and the law.”

It also demanded that officials tasked with the responsibility to maintain law and order in Islamabad must “prevent any assembly, gathering, public meetings and/or processions that could hamper the assembly proceedings or participation of members in the session”.

The plea also urged the court to bar authorities from taking any “coercive measures against, and including arrest and detention of the, members of the National Assembly”.

The SCBA said the speaker of the lower house must also discharge his duties in accordance with the Constitution and the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007.