LHC asks NA speaker to decide Opp leader issue in 30 days

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court Saturday ordered the National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf to decide the matter within thirty days while disposing of a petition seeking the removal of Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Raja Riaz.

The LHC released a two-page written order on the matter on Saturday with the direction that a copy of the petition would be sent to the NA speaker and ordered him to treat it as a part of representation filed on behalf of the petitioner. The LHC instructed the speaker to decide the matter “on its own merits in accordance with law, rules and policy after taking into consideration all the grounds therein and objections” within 30 days.

The court issued the order on a petition moved by Advocate Munir Ahmed contending that the PTI was still the biggest party in the National Assembly as the speaker had not yet approved the resignations of all lawmakers. He argued that Raja Riaz was appointed the opposition leader without consultation with the PTI. The petition alleged that Raja Riaz had been appointed the opposition leader in collusion with the government, bypassing the rules and regulations and the appointment was allegedly aimed at making changes of their choice in the NAB and Election Commission of Pakistan laws.

During the hearing, the petitioner was asked under which law the speaker should hear the non-members, to which the petitioner submitted a judgment of the Supreme Court in favour of his arguments.

Afterwards, the court decided that a copy of the High Court office petition and all documents be sent to the speaker. The speaker will consider it as a petition and decide on it within 30 days under the law and the assembly rules. The court directed the additional attorney general to inform the authorities concerned about its order.