Supreme Court petitioned for referendum on presidential form of govt

ISLAMABAD: A petition was filed in the Supreme Court (SC) on Friday urging Prime Minister Imran Khan to hold a nation-wide referendum for introducing presidential system in the country.

The referendum should be held by the prime minister after approval from a joint sitting of Parliament. The petition was filed one Tahir Aziz Khan by invoking Article 184(3) of the Constitution that deals with the apex court’s authority to enforce fundamental rights of the citizens.

The petition claims that the fundamental rights of the people provided under Chapter 1 of Part II of the Constitution were being infringed upon by the failure of the present parliamentary form of the government to deliver for their welfare and wellbeing and progress in different fields of life. It is, therefore, in the interest of justice that the people be given a fair chance to choose presidential form of government if they want so, the petition pleads.