Opposition leaders — PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman — have reached the Supreme Court for the hearing on a plea filed by Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) seeking the SC's intervention to prevent "anarchy" ahead of the no-trust vote against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

       On Saturday, a two-judge SC bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Munib Akhtar had issued notices to the ruling PTI, PML-N, PPP, JUI-F, Balochistan National Party (Mengal) and the Awami National Party through their respective secretary generals, though they will be represented by their legal counsel.

       The court had sought assistance from the six political parties including the proponents of the no-trust motion in the National Assembly and ordered the Islamabad police chief to come up with a comprehensive report regarding Friday's breaching of Sindh House by PTI activists.

       The court also issued notices to the respondents for their assistance in ensuring a smooth, lawful and peaceful completion of the process under Article 95 of the constitution, related to the no-confidence vote against the prime minister.

       The federal government through the interior and defence secretaries, the prime minister, leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, National Assembly speaker and secretary, Islamabad chief commissioner and deputy commissioner and Inspector General of Police are respondents in the case.

       The SCBA, in its plea, had sought the court's directions for all state functionaries "to act strictly in accordance with the Constitution and the law and they be restrained from acting in any manner detrimental to and unwarranted by the Constitution and the law".

       It had also demanded that officials tasked with the responsibility to maintain law and order in Islamabad must "prevent any assembly, gathering, public meetings and/or processions that could hamper the assembly proceedings or participation of members in the session".

       During the last hearing, CJP Bandial emphasised that political activities should be held within the confines of the law and the Constitution instead of creating 'anarchic' situation. Hurling threats to state institutions or damaging public properties was not acceptable, he observed.

       Referring to Article 95 of the Constitution, which deals with the no-confidence motion, the SC described it as a non-legal matter that did not relate to the jurisdiction of the apex court.

       "With respect to the proceedings under Article 95 being conducted in accordance with the Constitution and the law, except the incident of the Friday last — when a group of charged PTI activists breached the Sindh House twice — presently there is nothing before us that invites our attention either in the public interest or on account of the violation of the constitutional principles," the CJP remarked while dictating the orders after the hearing.

       The petition

       The SCBA's petition, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, comes amid a heated political situation with the government and opposition trading barbs at each other and threatening to flex muscles in roadshows ahead of a crucial vote later this month that would decide the fate of Prime Minister Imran.

       The two sides have announced to hold rallies in the capital ahead of the parliament session, prompting fears of political instability and anarchy that the SCBA expressed in its petition.

       In the plea filed with the Supreme Court, the SCBA cited statements from the prime minister wherein he had said "I will fight against them until [my last breath]. I will face them and I am completely prepared for whatever [they throw my way]".

       It also included statements by Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, telling lawmakers that they would have to pass through a million PTI supporters to enter the National Assembly on the day of the vote.

       Likewise, the petition also quoted statements from opposition leaders including JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman when he appealed to his workers to converge in Islamabad before the session "and stay on the Constitution Avenue till voting on the no-trust resolution and ... provide safe passage to members to the Parliament House".

       The petition says circumstances involving confrontation between the government and the opposition could trigger an "anarchic situation" in the country.

       "It is evident from the political history of our country that preventing the constitutional process from taking its course has produced dire consequence for democracy and rule of law," the petition says.

       The SCBA sought the court's directions for all state functionaries "to act strictly in accordance with the Constitution and the law and they be restrained from acting in any manner detrimental to and unwarranted by the Constitution and the law".

       It also demanded that officials tasked with the responsibility to maintain law and order in Islamabad must "prevent any assembly, gathering, public meetings and/or processions that could hamper the assembly proceedings or participation of members in the session".

       The plea also urged the court to bar authorities from taking any "coercive measures against, and including arrest and detention of the, members of the National Assembly".