Lahore: The fate of Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif is in doubt after the Lahore High Court (LHC) delayed the case hearings till June 30.
A five-member LHC bench chaired by Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan resumed hearing separate PTI and PML-Q petitions challenging Hamza’s election as chief minister.
According to Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh, the case would be concluded on the same day (Wednesday). However, the hearing was postponed once more. Justice Shahid Jameel stated that the court will first hear arguments from the attorney for Hamza Shahbaz.
The judge stated that Hamza’s counsel will present arguments if the Supreme Court’s decision on the presidential referral – seeking an interpretation of Article 63(A) of the Constitution concerning defecting legislators – pertains to prior occurrences. On May 17, the Supreme Court declared that votes cast by dissident members of Parliament (MPs) against the directions of their parliamentary party could not be tallied.
According to a news report, Hamza’s counsel began his arguments after Justice Jameel’s direction, claiming that the ruling did not apply to past
occurrences unless the top court said so.
“The truth is that Hamza’s election as Punjab Chief Minister has not been disputed, but different circumstances have,” the attorney stated. After Hamza’s lawyer finished his arguments, PTI counsel Barrister Ali Zafar took the rostrum. Barrister Ali Zafar urged with the court in his arguments that the Supreme Court’s ruling be enforced rather than going after the point of past or future. Justice Shahid asked the counsel if the court could overturn Hamza Shehbaz’s election as CM.
