Notices to ECP, ministry in Nawaz ouster case

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday again issued notices to Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and federal ministry of law & justice on a petition challenging the July 28, 2017 notification under which Nawaz Sharif was de-notified as prime minister.

Justice Shahid Karim issued this order on a petition moved by Advocate AK Dogar.

The counsel argued the Constitution expressly commanded that a prime minister could be removed by a mandate of majority in the National Assembly, which had elected him.

He said the ECP had de-notified Nawaz Sharif illegally and unlawfully as the prime minister could only be

removed through no-confidence move in the parliament under Article 95 of the

Constitution.

The counsel said since the ousted prime minister was elected through the votes his de-notification was unconstitutional, urging the court to suspend the impugned notification until the final decision of the petition.

He said the matter in hand was of great public importance as it pertained to the fundamental rights of all the citizens of Pakistan.

He pointed out that the court had on previous hearing issued notices to respondents and also to the attorney general of Pakistan as interpretation of the Constitutional provisions was involved in the petition.

However, he said, no reply had been submitted on behalf of the respondents.

However, the court did not grant the interim relief of suspending the notification and issued fresh notices to the respondents for two weeks.