At the very outset of the hearing of the National Assembly (NA) deputy speaker’s ruling case on Thursday, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umar Ata Bandial made it clear that the Supreme Court (SC) would not interfere in the election of Punjab chief minister and would restrict itself only to the deputy speaker’s ruling and the dissolution of NA, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

“You can go to the Lahore High Court (LHC) for the redressal of your grievances,” the CJP remarked while addressing the Advocate General of Punjab (AGP) who said that he wanted to bring this thing to the notice of the apex court that situation in the province was very tense.

“Blatant violation of the constitution was committed when Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly (PA) Hamza Shehbaz was crowned as a chief minister at a ceremony at Lahore’s Faletti’s hotel on Wednesday,” he said, and added, “Even former Punjab governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar convened provincial bureaucrats meeting. And today, he is to take oath from the de facto CM Hamza at Lawrence Garden.”   

Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel said that yesterday he had watched it on television that the Punjab Assembly’s building had been sealed. “What you are doing in Punjab,” he asked angrily. 

“Don’t make a speech in the courtroom,’ CJP Bandial said, and directed the advocate general Punjab to submit a written reply in the case.

Reporter Amanat Gishkori