ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s lawyer, Ali Zafar has boycotted the proceedings on a review plea against the Supreme Court’s May 2022 order on Article 63(A), which deals with the defection of lawmakers.
A larger bench of the SC led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa (CJP) is hearing the review plea filed by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA).
The bench also includes Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan — who replaced Justice Munib Akhtar.
The case pertains to the top court’s decision, which said that the votes of the lawmakers who go against party policy would not be counted, and has been challenged by the lawyers body.
The 3-2 judgment, had effectively barred lawmakers from going against their party’s policy when voting in the parliament.
Three judges — then-CJP Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, and Justice Munib had voted in favour whereas Justice Mandokhail and Justice Mazhar disagreed with the verdict.
However, the SCBA, in its review plea, has contended that the ruling was “against the Constitution and equal to interference in it”.
