Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Imran Khan on Tuesday lauded the judges of Supreme Court’s three-member bench for “standing firm and upholding the Constitution and law” as they struck down the Punjab deputy speaker’s ruling on chief minister’s election.

“I appreciate our SC judges for standing firm & upholding the Constitution & law, against all manner of threats & abuse,” the PTI chief wrote on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/1551975621068193792

“I want to thank Barrister Ali Zafar & his team. I want to thank the people of Punjab for coming out in unprecedented numbers in bye elections against rigging,” he wrote.

Later, in a tweet, he announced to celebrate the victory tomorrow evening.

“Tomorrow evening we will offer thanks to Allah & celebrate with all the people of Pakistan who have stood by us in our campaign for Haqeeqi Azadi, coming out in massive numbers to show support.”

https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/1551977605766733825

Imran Khan’s tweet came as a three-member bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, Justices Ijazul Ahsan and Munib Akhtar struck down Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari’s ruling on Punjab chief minister’s election, declaring his “understanding and implementation” of Article 63A(1)(b) of the Constitution “incorrect and erroneous”.

The verdict made PML-N’s Hamza Shehbaz lose his status of the “trustee” chief minister and ruled his rival Parvez Elahi to take over the position of Punjab’s chief minister.

The PTI chief also thanked Barrister Ali Zafar and his team as well as the people of Punjab for coming out in “unprecedented numbers” in bye-elections against rigging.