ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial on Monday said Supreme Court has not yet been convinced to interfere in the proceedings of the National Assembly.

The CJP’s remarks came during the hearing of a petition filed by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) seeking the court’s intervention to prevent “anarchy” as the government and Opposition have announced to hold rallies in Islamabad.

During the hearing, Justice Bandial said the Supreme Court of Pakistan wants to protect everybody’s voting rights.

After hearing the arguments by the SCBA counsel regarding the delay in the voting on the no-confidence motion, which was submitted on March 8, the CJP said that “these are the internal matters of the assembly,” adding that it would be better to fight these battles in the NA.

During the hearing, three bigwigs of the Opposition — PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman — were also present in the courtroom.

The petitioner’s lawyer highlighted that under Article 95, the speaker of the National Assembly has to summon a session within 14 days from the time when the no-confidence motion is filed.

The CJP asked the association what is the problem with the no-confidence motion, observing that the petitioner’s lawyer has not come prepared.

Regarding the voting on the no-confidence motion, CJP Bandial said that the SCBA wants the lawmakers to have the choice to vote for whomever they want.

However, he said, the question is whether the personal choice of an MNA can differ from the party policy.

SCBA’s lawyer argued that all the MNAs should have the right to vote freely. At this, Justice Muneeb Akhtar inquired about the article under which lawmakers can vote freely.

Responding to the query, the SCBA’s lawyer said that the MNAs elect the speaker and other officials of the assembly under Article 91.

“If somebody is casting their vote how can somebody say that it is not their right to vote,” Justice Akhtar said, asking the SCBA on which article the body has based its case.

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