ISLAMABAD, MAR 07 (DNA) – The Islamabad High Court (IHC) reserved on Wednesday verdict in the case pertaining to the controversial change in Khatam-e-Nabuwat clause in Election Act, 2017.

In October, the government’s move to “simplify” a provision in the election form had led to a three-week crippling sit-in federal capital and the subsequent resignation of the federal law minister.

Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui reserved the verdict for Friday after hearing arguments from petitioner and federation as well as several scholars and lawyers who had rendered their assistance in the case as amicus curiae.

The court had been hearing the petition on a day-to-day basis since February 20. Petitioner Maulana Allah Wasaya ‘s counsel Hafiz Arfat had maintained that the act relating to the declaration was against Article 8 and 227 of the Constitution and resulted in creating a serious law and order situation across the country.

The major developments during the course of hearings included the government’s submission of report of a committee led by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Raja Zafarul Haq on the controversy.

On Wednesday, Deputy Attorney General Arshad Mehmood Kayani submitted the census data of 1981, 1998 and tentative data of the 2017. He also submitted the travel history of almost 6,000 persons, who obtained fresh passports after changing religious status from Muslim to Ahmadi.

Almost all the amicus curiae apprised the court that concealing real faith is a crime, and act of cheating and fraud with the state.

The amicus included professor Dr Hafiz Hassan Madni from the Institute of Islamic Studies at University of Punjab in Lahore, Dr Mohsin Naqvi, the Ex member Council of Islamic Ideology (COII), Professor Dr Sahibzada Sajid ur Rehman member COII, and Mufti Muhammad Hussain Khalil Khel from Karachi as amicus to render their assistance on the proposed questions.

Among the lawyers, Akram Sheikh, Dr Aslam Khaki and Dr Babar Awan provided assistance to the court in connection with the amendment in the Election Act, 2017, which led to a sit-in in the capital.