The Supreme Court on Tuesday hinted at taking action against former National Assembly deputy speaker Qasim Suri for violating the Constitution, summoning the court registrar for not fixing the appeal on a matter related to the alleged rigging in his election in 2018.
On September 27, 2019, the election tribunal declared Suri’s election from the National Assembly seat, NA-265, null and void; however, he moved to the Supreme Court and served his term on a stay order until the PTI government ended.
While speaking at a program on Naya Daur TV, senior analyst Muzamal Suharwardy said that Suri is not the only culprit; then-chief justice Umar Ata Bandial is equally responsible for facilitating him. Therefore, action should be taken against both Suri and Bandial, he added.
He said that there is no proper mechanism in the courts for fixing pleas for hearing. That’s why the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Bill was introduced to address this issue, but still, the mechanism for fixing appeals for hearing is not transparent yet.
The analyst said that the Supreme Court needs to put its house in order.
While responding to a question about former Islamabad High Court (IHC) judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui's petition challenging his removal in 2018, the analyst said that there are very few chances that Aziz may be restored as judge.
To another question, Suharwardy said that it is a hard and fast rule that, if won, the independent candidates will join the party that will have the maximum number of winners.