PHC bars NA speaker, Senate chairman from appointing new opposition leaders

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday stopped National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq and Senate Chairman Senator Yousuf Raza Gilani from appointing new opposition leaders in the parliament’s houses, days after de-notification of Omar Ayub and Shibli Faraz as opposition leaders of the NA and Senate, respectively, by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The development came during hearing of the petition challenging the ECP order. Issuing notices to the electoral body and other parties in the case, PHC has adjourned the case till August 15, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) wrote on its WhatsApp channel.

Moreover, the high court stopped the ECP from taking further action against the opposition party’s leaders as well.

ECP disqualifies several PTI lawmakers including Shibli Faraz, Omar Ayub, Zartaj Gul

The ECP on August 5 disqualified several PTI legislators including Faraz, Ayub and Zartaj Gul as well as Sunni Ittehad Council Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza, following their conviction by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Faisalabad in the cases pertaining to May 9 riots.

Through a notification, the election commission had announced since they had been convicted by the ATC, therefore, they were disqualified and de-notified. Hence, the ECP had said, their seats have become vacant.

Later on August 8, the National Assembly Secretariat confirmed the removal of Ayub from the position of leader of the opposition, declaring the post vacant.

The secretariat had said the NA speaker is expected to issue a notification for the appointment of a new opposition leader soon.

Meanwhile, the post of opposition leader in the Senate was also declared vacant after PTI leader Faraz was de-notified from his position following his disqualification by the ECP.

According to a notification issued by the Senate Secretariat, Faraz’s disqualification was effective from August 5, resulting in the loss of both his Senate membership and his position as leader of the opposition in the upper house.

Numerous leaders of the embattled PTI have been facing multiple cases for their alleged involvement in the violent protests that erupted countrywide on May 9, 2023, following arrest of PTI founding chairman Imran Khan in a corruption case.

Imran, who has been in prison since 2023 facing charges of corruption, land fraud and disclosure of official secrets, is also being tried separately on similar charges related to the riots.

The government accused him and other PTI leaders of inciting the May 9, 2023, protests, during which demonstrators attacked military and government buildings, including the army headquarters in Rawalpindi and Jinnah House Lahore.

The former prime minister denies wrongdoing and says all the cases are politically motivated to dismantle his party.