PTI, AML move SC against Naqvi's appointment as Punjab caretaker CM.

ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Awami Muslim League (AML) Friday challenged the appointment of Mohsin Raza Naqvi as the caretaker Chief Minister of the Punjab before the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

The PTI and AML Chief Sheikh Rashid filed separate petitions praying that Mohsin Naqvi be restrained from performing any function regarding the elections and appointing cabinet members.

It was January 22 when the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had appointed Naqvi as caretaker chief minister for a 90-day interim period. His name was agreed upon in an ECP meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja and attended by four members of the commission, besides the ECP secretary and special secretary and ECP director general, law.

The PTI and Asad Umer's counsel contended that an individual without any experience of political, constitutional, bureaucratic set-ups has been selected/appointed for this position for unknown reasons.

He argued that Naqvi's appointment by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was 'in direct violation of the provisions of the Constitution read with the provisions of the Elections Act 2017 and the Election Rules 2017'.

The party asked for the ECP to be declared ''en masse' biased and in violation of the code of conduct prescribed under Article 209 of the Constitution'. The petition also asked for the appointment of Babar Hassan Bharwana and Justice (retd) Ikramullah Khan as ECP members to be declared in violation of the Constitution, and be struck down.

The petition stated that Naqvi was 'involved in a case of corruption and corrupt practices initiated by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) where he struck plea bargain/voluntary return under section 25 of NAB...