SC reissues notice to Nawaz Sharif in case regarding disqualification under Article 62

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Tuesday reissued a notice to former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in a case regarding disqualification of under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution.

A five-member larger bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar and comprising Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Sajjad Ali Shah heard the case filed by 17 petitioners against the disqualification of lawmakers.

The court appointed Munir A Malik and Syed Ali Zaffar as amicus curiae in the case.

The CJP remarked that the court wanted to give a chance to everyone so that no one would be able to say anything against the judiciary.

The parliament had not amended Article 62 which meant that it also supported the clause.

He said if disqualification were not for life then the victims had right to take part in elections.The court might announce ex-parte decision, though based on merit, if the individuals concerned did not attend the hearing, he added.

During the course of proceedings, Babar Awan, counsel for a petitioner Samiullah Baloch, pleaded the court to issue a public notice for lawmakers affected by the article to appear in the court while another option was to issue a notice to the attorney general.

"The decision in this case will affect the entire nation," he added.

The chief justice remarked that the court wanted to protect the rights of the people. "We want everyone affected by the article to come to court and become part of the case.

This is why the court had issued notices to Nawaz Sharif and Jahangir Tareen so that they have no complaints afterwards," he added.

The Supreme Court also made a public announcement through a press release, asking the lawmakers disqualified under Article 62(1)(f) to become a party to the case.