The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday issued a stay order for the appointments of new opposition leaders in the National Assembly and the Senate following the disqualification and removal of PTI’s Omar Ayub and Shibli Faraz.
On August 5, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had disqualified Ayub and Faraz, along with other opposition MNAs and MPAs, following their convictions in three cases related to the May 9, 2023 riots.
Subsequently, on August 8, both leaders were removed from their posts in notifications issued by the NA and Senate secretariats.
A division bench comprising Justices Arshad Ali and Dr Khurshid Iqbal took up the petitions filed earlier today by Ayub and Faraz against the denotification of their parliamentary roles.
PTI interim chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan appeared as the counsel for both petitioners.
The bench issued notices to the ECP and other respondents, directing them to halt the appointments for the opposition leader in both houses of the parliament, which are currently vacant.
The court adjourned the hearing till August 15 (Friday), seeking replies from the respondents.
A PHC bench comprising Justice Ali and Justice Farah Jamshed had also barred the ECP from taking any action against Ayub and Faraz on August 6, but to no avail since the order came a day after their disqualification.
The court had also granted the two leaders, as well as Zartaj Gul, protective bail till August 20.
More to follow