Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) Monday filed two separate constitutional petitions in the Supreme Court against National Assembly speaker’s ruling regarding conviction of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and the premier’s visit to UK.
PML-N leader Khawaja Muhammad Asif filed the petition in the apex court Monday afternoon, stating that the May 24 ruling of the National Assembly speaker in the matter of Yousuf Raza Gilani was “arbitrary, capricious and illegal”.
On the other hand, Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf (PTA) also filed a similar petition, challenging Speaker Fehmida Mirza’s decision and Gilani’s recent visit to UK.
PTI’s Advocate Safdar Ali Shah filed the petition on behalf of party chairman Imran Khan.
“There is no moral ground for Gilani to hold the office any more, PTI advocate argued in the petition adding that “Gilani visit to Britain along with an 80-member delegation was burden on taxpayers of the poor people”.
Moreover, Khan’s petition also requests the court to direct the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to decide on Gilani’s eligibility as premier.
On April 26, PM Gilani was convicted for contempt of court for not writing a letter to the Swiss authorities for reopening money laundering cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.
The said petitions have come after the PPP announced that it was not filing appeal before the apex court against the prime minister’s conviction and 37-second sentence by a seven-judge bench on contempt charges.