Asad Qaiser summons NA session on March 25, Opposition calls for trial of Speaker under Article 6

National Assembly (NA) Speaker Asad Qaiser has summoned a session of the lower house of parliament on March 25. The NA session will be held at the Parliament House on Friday at 11am. The 14-day constitutional deadline to convene the NA session on the Opposition’s requisition will expire on March 21 (today).

Sources told the media that the session will offer fateha for PTI MNA Haji Khayal Zaman who recently passed away, after which the Speaker has the “discretionary power” to continue or adjourn the session.

Opposition parties on Sunday slammed Qaiser for not convening the assembly session within 14 days of its requisition, demanding that he should be tried under Article 6 of the Constitution.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari expressed hope that the Supreme Court would take notice of the violation of the Constitution by the Speaker.

“This coward captain [the PM] is running away from the vote of no confidence. He is escaping to the extent that he has made the speaker abrogate the Constitution,” said Bilawal.

Article 6 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan states, “Any person who abrogates or subverts or suspends or holds in abeyance, or attempts or conspires to abrogate or subvert or suspend or hold in abeyance, the Constitution by use of force or show of force or by any other unconstitutional means shall be guilty of high treason.”

The second clause adds that any person aiding, abetting, or collaborating in the acts will also be considered guilty of high treason.

Clause 2A says that an act of high treason cannot be validated by any court, including the Supreme Court (SC) and a High Court.”