Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Friday said that the ruling coalition’s desire to amend the Constitution according to its wishes has been blocked by the Supreme Court ruling.
The apex court, in a majority verdict, declared that the PTI is a political party and eligible for reserved seats denied by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The order has effectively deprived the government of a two-thirds majority in the Parliament, essential for amending the Constitution.
While addressing the media after the Supreme Court announced its verdict, the barrister said the decision announced by the court today was based on truth.
“It is a happy day for 25 million people, for democratic forces,” he said. “The decision of the Supreme Court will be remembered in history.”
He further claimed that 11 judges of the Supreme Court ruled in favour of PTI and added that the verdict blocked an attempt to amend the Constitution.
Gohar explained that based on the appeals that have been allowed in the ratio of 8 to 5, the seats will be returned to PTI.
He insisted: “We request the Commission to implement these orders immediately and first of all, the Election Commission should issue us the certificate of our intra-party election within this week.”
During the press conference, the PTI chief was accompanied by Chairman of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) Hamid Raza, and party leaders Shibli Faraz and Salman Akram Raja who also spoke to the media.
“Today, we have won legal battle, now, we have to win political battle,” Raja said.
JUI-F accepts apex court’s verdict, Fazl tells Qaiser
In a phone call with PTI stalwart Asad Qaiser, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that his party “accepted” the apex court’s verdict, which came out as a major legal victory for the former ruling party.
“We express goodwill to the PTI on the [favourable] verdict and hope that the development will improve the ties between the two parties,” Fazl told Qaiser.
At this, the former NA speaker thanked Fazl for his good wishes. He said that today’s verdict would establish the supremacy of the Constitution and democracy.
