The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership has denounced the Supreme Court’s verdict, which declared Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Mohammad Mazari’s ruling on Punjab chief minister’s election as illegal.
Earlier, a three-member bench of the top court, comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and Justices Ijazul Ahsan and Munib Akhtar, announced its decision on the petition filed by PML-Q leader Parvez Elahi against Mazari’s ruling.
According to the decision, PML-N leader Hamza lost his status as the “trustee” Punjab chief minister while Elahi, who has PTI’s backing, will take over the position.
“Judicial coup,” PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz said in a tweet.
She also termed the decision “the murder of justice.”
PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif took to Twitter and said: “[Order] has made a mockery of Pakistan.”
Hamza expressed sorrow over the SC’s verdict, saying that the government elected by people’s votes was sent home through a “controversial decision”.
“Has the status of the assembly become a rubber stamp?” he questioned, adding that over the last four months, the biggest province of the country has become a “laughing stock”.
Hamza said his mission is to save Pakistan and he will not step back from it.
Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said: “This decision is tantamount to judicial coup […] and this will lead to further anarchy and divide the nation. More than half of the people of Pakistan do not accept this.”
In his tweet, Sindh Labour Minister and PPP leader Saeed Ghani said he is amazed that the top court instructed either the governor or the president to administer the oath to Elahi.
