Court cannot interfere in parliament’s affairs: IHC

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday dismissed a petition challenging election of Shahbaz Sharif as Chairman Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

A division bench of IHC comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani resumed the hearing of a petition challenging then election of Shahbaz Sharif as chairman PAC.

After hearing arguments from the petitioner’s lawyer, the IHC dismissed the petition, as non-maintainable.

In its order, the IHC has said that there are allegations on Shahbaz Sharif and Saad Rafique and they will be considered innocent until the case would prove against them in the court.

The IHC decision further states that issuing production orders to Shahbaz Sharif was an internal matter of parliament. No one can stop any member of parliament to attend the parliament's session. “If production orders are hurdles in the investigation of National Accountability Bureau (NAB), then they can raise this issue before the Speaker National Assembly,” the order states. The court cannot interfere in the affairs of the assembly, the order further states.

The petitioner had pleaded that Shahbaz Sharif's appointment as the chairman of the committee was illegal and issuing his production orders was a violation of the laws of National Accountability Bureau. Shahbaz Sharif was elected chairman PAC on 21 December.