The Supreme Court (SC) served notice to PM Khan in the case of de-seating ex-National Assembly speaker Ayaz Sadiq.
Headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, an apex court bench also issued notices to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) to file their response to the petition.
To clarify, an election tribunal de-seated the former NA speaker in 2015 on the petition of the PTI chairperson Imran Khan who challenged Ayaz Sadiq’s NA-122 victory in the May 2013 general elections. The election tribunal also ordered re-polling in NA-122.
However, Ayaz Sadiq later challenged the tribunal’s verdict in the Supreme Court. Furthermore, pertinent to mention, the PML-N leader reclaimed his seat in a by-election in 2015.
Read more: Ayyaz Sadiq refuses to apologise: Implications for Pakistani politics?
Supreme Court in an unprecedented move while hearing an infructuous application of 2013 by former Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq issued notices to Prime Minister Imran Khan , NADRA & ECP
— Adeel Sarfraz (@AhmedASarfraz) March 10, 2022
My reputation tarnished: Ayaz Sadiq
During today’s hearing, PML-N leader Ayaz Sadiq expressed that the allegations created a false perception. Moreover, it harmed his reputation as people accused him of being involved in rigging elections and lying while he served as an NA speaker.
On this note, the CJP inquired whether the PML-N leader won the elections after the allegations of rigging. The ex-speaker responded that he had won all elections since then — in the re-poll and in the 2018 general elections.
“If people have given you votes, what issues do you have with the perception that has been created?” the CJP asked, as reported by media sources.
Read more: Posters branding Ayaz Sadiq ‘traitor’ seen across Lahore
However, he insisted that winning elections was not the matter. Ayaz Sadiq argued that the allegation damaged his reputation. As a result, the perception created forced him to approach the apex court.
“The issue at hand is my dignity and respect — and I want nothing else from Imran Khan,” the ex-speaker reportedly said.
Justice Mazhar told the PML-N leader that he can file separately if he wanted to pursue a defamation case. However, the CJP remarked that the legal proceedings will never go to waste. Therefore, the court had issued notices to the respondents and would listen to the matter soon.
Read more: Asad Qaiser and Ahsan Iqbal argue over recounting of NA votes