PTI to challenge FCC order restricting Peshawar High Court powers
PTI will challenge the FCC order restricting Peshawar High Court powers, while the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council announces a province-wide court boycott.
Kamran Ali
Correspondent Nukta
Kamran Ali, a seasoned journalist from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, has a decade of experience covering terrorism, human rights, politics, economy, climate change, culture, and sports. With an MS in Media Studies, he has worked across print, radio, TV, and digital media, producing investigative reports and co-hosting shows that highlight critical issues.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will challenge a Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) order restricting the Peshawar High Court's powers to hear constitutional petitions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, party chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said Monday. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council announced a province-wide court boycott on Nov. 10 in protest over fundamental rights concerns.
What does the FCC order say about the Peshawar High Court?
The FCC's interim order of Nov. 5 suspended proceedings on constitutional petitions filed before the Peshawar High Court under Article 199 on or after Oct. 12. The order came in the context of the deployment of armed forces under Article 245 to assist civil authorities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The FCC also invited other parties to challenge the interim order through separate petitions.
How will PTI challenge the FCC order?
Gohar said the Nov. 5 order could have far-reaching legal and constitutional consequences, potentially undermining citizens' fundamental rights and access to justice. He said the party would approach the FCC on Tuesday to become a party to the proceedings and present its position.
PTI will seek a review, withdrawal or modification of the order to prevent any infringement of fundamental rights, he added.
Why did the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council announce a boycott?
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council expressed serious concern over the ruling, saying it undermined fundamental rights in the province. It announced a province-wide boycott of court proceedings on Nov. 10 and decided to become a party to the case.
The council has formed a special legal panel to file a petition before the FCC. It has also called a meeting of lawyers' representative bodies on Tuesday to consider an indefinite province-wide strike against the decision.
What led to governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa?
The dispute follows the federal government's imposition of governor's rule and a state of emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Oct. 11. The government cited escalating terrorist attacks and the provincial government's failure to address the security situation.
President Asif Ali Zardari issued the proclamation under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution. It suspended the provincial government and cabinet and transferred executive powers to the governor.
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