SC asked to review return of petition challenging PM aides' appointment.

Byline: Nasir Iqbal

ISLAMABAD -- Two lawyers who had earlier challenged the appointment of advisers and special assistants to the prime minister before the Supreme Court approached the apex court again on Wednesday, seeking reconsideration of the registrar office's decision to return their petition.

In a five-page appeal, Mohammad Arshad Khan and Ghulam Dastgeer Butt, both members of the Islamabad High Bar Association and Rawalpindi Bar Association, requested the court to set aside the April 21 decision of the registrar office, which had raised objections and returned the petition.

The registrar office of the Supreme Court had termed the petition not entertainable since a number of prayers had been raised in one petition.

The court office had also objected that the petition had failed to point out which questions of public important were involved in the matter that needed enforcement of any of fundamental rights guaranteed under the constitution so that direct jurisdiction of the Supreme Court could be invoked.

Petitioners argue unelected persons are running state affairs without any constitutional justification

The registrar office had also highlighted that the petitioners had directly come to the apex court instead of approaching other appropriate forums available to them under the law for the relief and they had not provided any justification of directly approaching the top court.

The appeal pleaded that the registrar office had failed to look into the portfolios and the assignments of the special advisers to the PM who were virtually controlling the affairs of the state despite being non-elected persons and thus were exercising authority and powers without any constitutional justification.

They pleaded that the original jurisdiction of the apex court was not limited to any one or multiple prayers and this court could grant any relief or deny it in the circumstances of the cases.

Moreover this court had held that when an issue of public importance relating to fundamental rights was involved, any person could directly approach the Supreme Court, they argued.

They requested the apex court to declare that 19 special assistants to the prime minister (SAPM) and advisers with the status of federal ministers or ministers of state were not entitled to any financial benefit, including salaries, allowances, perks and privileges.

The petition had nominated as respondents Adviser on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam Khan, Adviser on Commerce and...