The Federal Constitutional Court on Wednesday adjourned hearing in the case concerning the eligibility of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and Member of the National Assembly Sohail Sultan after allowing the petitioner’s counsel time to examine the federal government’s reply. A two-member bench headed by Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi heard the case, during which the federal government submitted its written reply before the court.
PTI counsel Barrister Gohar requested the court to grant time to review the government’s response. The court accepted the request and allowed him time for the purpose. During the hearing, Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi observed that the provincial government had enacted legislation concerning the eligibility of a political leader. He remarked that the legislation had removed law officers from the provincial government’s services and appeared to be person-specific legislation enacted with a particular individual’s eligibility in view.
Barrister Gohar argued that the core issue before the court related to the jurisdiction of the Election Commission, adding that the provincial government’s legislation had not been challenged in the present proceedings. The court granted the petitioner’s counsel time to examine the federal government’s reply and adjourned further hearing of the case until a later date.