The Supreme Court’s constitution bench rejected the registrar office’s objections to the petition filed by PTI founder Imran Khan, challenging the Official Secrets Act and the Army Act.
A five-member bench, led by Justice Aminuddin Khan, heard the petition, with Imran Khan’s lawyer, Shoaib Shaheen, representing the former prime minister.
During the proceedings, the court raised questions about whether the petition was maintainable, asking why the high court had not been approached before challenging the amendments. Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar pointed out that the Supreme Court had been hearing petitions under Article 184/3 at its discretion, cautioning that if it continued to hear direct petitions, it could render Article 199 ineffective.
Imran Khan’s lawyer argued that the amendments to both the Official Secrets Act and the Army Act were violating fundamental rights. He emphasized that it was for the court to decide whether the petition was maintainable, not the registrar’s office.
After deliberation, the Constitutional Bench overruled the objections and instructed the registrar’s office to formally assign a number to the constitutional petition, allowing it to move forward.
