The Lahore High Court has rejected a petition challenging the appointment of Ishaq Dar as Deputy Prime Minister. As per details, the petitioner argued that the notification appointing Ishaq Dar as Deputy Prime Minister conflicted with the Constitution of Pakistan citing that the Constitution does not provide for the office of Deputy Prime Minister. The Lahore High Court, however, rejected the petition, and term it inadmissible. Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar’s appointment to the post was challenged in the Sindh High Court (SHC). The petition was filed by Tariq Mansoor who argued that Ishaq Dar’s appointment as Deputy Prime Minister was ‘unlawful’ and unconstitutional. The petitioner maintained that a deputy prime minister slot is not mentioned anywhere in the constitution.

It is pertinent to mention here that Foreign Minister Dar was assigned the additional responsibility of deputy prime minister, according to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division on Sunday. The announcement coincided with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Dar’s visit to Saudi Arabia, where they attended the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) special meeting on global collaboration, growth, and energy. According to the notification, PM Shehbaz appointed Ishaq Dar as his deputy with immediate effect and until further orders. Before the appointment to the post, Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, who was then with the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid was appointed as the first deputy prime minister of  Pakistan in June 2012.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan