Decline offer of caretaker PM, lawyers body urges Gulzar

• SHCBA says it was “perturbed” by nomination of former CJP as interim PM.
• Former CJ's acceptance as caretaker PM will be equal to illegal and unconstitutional acts of speaker and PTI govt, says SHCBA. 
• SHCBA demands SC to announce decision against deputy speaker's decision today. 

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court Bar Association (SHCBA) has called on Justice retired Gulzar Ahmed to decline Prime Minister Imran Khan’s offer of taking charge as caretaker prime minister, to hold fresh polls in the country.

In a press release issued on Monday, the Association said it was “perturbed” by the nomination of the former chief justice as interim prime minister.

The Association noted that Ahmed had retired only two months back, adding that this “ill-considered nomination” will strengthen the perception that the “Imran Khan government is, and has been, on the ‘same page’ as the apex judiciary.”

The press release further stated that should the former judge accept to be appointed caretaker prime minister “it will tantamount to endorsing the brazenly illegal and unconstitutional acts of the speaker and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government.”

In the same statement, the Association also asked the Supreme Court (SC), hearing a case against the deputy speaker’s decision to block the vote of no-confidence, to constitute a full court bench, calling the speaker's decision illegal and unconstitutional.

This would “protect the court from any allegations of selectivity and partisanship,” the SHCBA stated, demanding the SC to announce a decision today.

Replying to a question if the court announces the deputy speaker's decision as "legal" then what will be the action plan, to which the Association said to stand by Pakistan Bar Council's decision.

The Association has also announced a strike on Tuesday of court proceedings.