Pakistan Supreme Court issues notices to parties

Islamabad, Sept 2: The

Tuesday issued notices summoning all

after hearing a set of petitions against the sit-in protests by the

Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) here.

The notices were issued after petitioner Zulfiqar Naqvi pleaded before the court that all parliamentary parties be summoned so the ongoing political deadlock can be resolved, Dawn online reported.

Notices have been issued to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Awami National Party (ANP), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Pakistan Muslim League-Zia (PML-Z), Balochistan National Party (BNP), Awami Muslim League (AML), All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), Qaumi Watan Party (QWP), Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), National Party (NP) and PAT.

The notices were issued to the parties to resolve the ongoing crisis together

Tuesday's proceedings also saw Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk saying that while it was not his place to issue clarifications over allegations of bias, he had met PTI chairman Imran Khan only once and that too along with the latter's counsel Hamid Khan and at a time when he was the acting chief election commissioner.

Justice Mulk said Imran Khan and Hamid had come to his office to discuss the idea of introducing the biometric system of voting in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

PTI President Javed Hashmi has claimed that Imran Khan had said that "the current chief justice" had a favourable view of PTI and had agreed to ensure that power is taken from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

During the hearing, PAT's counsel Ali Zafar refused to submit proposals over what role the court should play in ending the current political impasse.

Zafar said his client's demands were of a political nature and it was not the court's place to interfere in political matters.

The response came a day after the apex court asked the two protesting parties - PTI and PAT - as to what proposals they had in their minds about the role the court should play in ending the political deadlock.

Subsequently, the court adjourned the case until Wednesday.

As the protests grew violent over the weekend, the protesters Monday stormed into the Secretariat to proceed to the Prime Minister House.

Both Imran Khan and PAT leader Tahir-ul Qadri condemned this move by the protesters.

The protesters also occupied Pakistan TV (PTV) building, due to which transmission was disrupted for sometime. The army soon secured the network office.

The protests led by Imran Khan and Qadri began Aug 15 in an attempt to topple Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who has been accused of rigging the 2013 general elections.

IANS