Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry, underscoring the need for wrapping up the significant case of disqualification of Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, sought on Thursday more evidences so that the hearing could be make headway.

Petitioner Azhar Siddique’s counsel AK Dogar completed his arguments against the ruling of National Assembly Speaker Dr. Fahmida Mirza.

Dogar said the PM Gilani—the man occupying the highest office of the country not only was contemptuous of the court but also he defied it, adding Gilani did not act upon the judicial order by choice.

The Chief Justice Chaudhry heading a three-member bench, remarked the court’s time should not be wasted by reading old rulings, as the court cannot stretch this case for too long; hence, new evidences should be brought forth so that the hearing may make progress.

AK Dogar said the PM Gilani currently occupies not only the office of premiership but also the PM House.

He said Article-63(1G) of the Constitution underwent phenomenal change after 18th Amendment with no role of speaker or Election Commission, adding the NA speaker is not authorized to condone the apex court’s ruling.

Dogar stressed the logical result of conviction by the court on contempt charges is disqualification from the membership of the Parliament.

It should be mentioned here that several petitioners including Zafar Ali Shah of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Imran Khan of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), advocate Azhar Siddique filed pleas challenging the NA speaker's ruling of May 28 that there was no question of sending reference of PM's disqualification to Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The apex court made the federal government, the ECP, the NA speaker and the PM Gilani parties to the case and issued them the notices on June 6. SAMAA